Shaker Secretary c. 1936

Howard Weld made this Shaker Secretary drawing in pencil and watercolour, and it's all about light and shadow. I love how the soft palette highlights the grain of the wood, giving us a sense of the maker’s hand, the time spent in its construction. The drawing is precise, but the slight imperfections in the lines around the hinges or edges of the shelves give it life, as if the object is breathing. See the way Weld uses a muted light, almost monochromatic wash in the background that draws attention to the crisp edges of the bureau. This makes the object feel more three-dimensional, more real, even though it’s just lines on paper. It’s tempting to imagine the original bureau sitting in a room, a single light illuminating the wood, its simple beauty echoing a long, unbroken conversation between material and form. It makes me think of Agnes Martin, another artist who found profound beauty in simplicity.