Table c. 1936

Hebilly West made this watercolor sketch of a table; we don’t know exactly when. The technique here is fascinating. I see the artist laying down these thin, translucent washes, one after the other. It’s all about layering, building up color and form gradually. You can really sense the thought process behind each stroke. Looking closer, notice how the light catches the curves of the table legs. West coaxes out the form with these gentle gradations of tone, light to dark, light to dark. It's almost like breathing life into the wood with the brush, a very physical and engaged process. It reminds me of those old master drawings, where every line feels both precise and exploratory. This piece makes me think of Agnes Martin, especially her interest in simple forms and quiet, meditative surfaces. I think West, like Martin, understood the power of restraint and the beauty of the imperfect. And that art is a conversation across time.