Church Pew c. 1940

Randolph Atkinson made this drawing of a Church Pew, but we don't know exactly when, or why. The palette is limited to brown, and beige, giving it a muted, almost antique feel. You can see the gentle hand of the artist at work. The drawing is all about texture, isn't it? Look at how the grain of the wood is rendered, each stroke of the pen or brush carefully placed to suggest depth and dimension. See that little cross carved into the back? Such a subtle detail, but it speaks volumes about the object's purpose, its connection to faith and community. It's like the artist is inviting us to sit down, to reflect, to contemplate our place in the world. It makes me think of Fairfield Porter, who also painted the everyday with such tenderness and grace. Art is like this ongoing conversation, a back-and-forth between artists across time. There is no one answer or right way to see.