Shaker Yoke 1935 - 1942

This watercolor of a Shaker Yoke by T. Joyce, painted sometime between the late 19th and early 20th century, really gets me thinking about the quietude and utility of Shaker design. Imagine Joyce, carefully rendering the smooth curve of the wood, the worn leather straps, and the aged metal. What was on their mind as they worked? Were they thinking about the weight of the buckets this yoke was made to carry? Or maybe the person who would bear it? Maybe they were interested in the challenge of rendering light on simple materials like wood. Joyce’s muted palette speaks to this too, doesn't it? The way the browns and creams blend together. It's so subtle! You can tell Joyce wasn't going for flashy. It’s more like a quiet conversation with the everyday, something like what Agnes Martin was doing later. The kind of art that makes you slow down and notice things.