Spinning Wheel c. 1938

Maud M. Holme made this watercolor and graphite painting of a spinning wheel, and you can see her care in the way she’s built up the tones in subtle layers. I can imagine her looking, thinking, and working, slowly building the image through trial and error. The wooden form, with its cylindrical body and turned leg, anchors the composition, while the delicate spindle at the top seems ready to spin into action. Look at how the light catches the wood, giving it a warm, honeyed glow, and consider how each stroke of her brush captures the essence of the object. Holme’s touch is so light that she almost disappears into the work, leaving the impression that the spinning wheel is suspended in air. In a way, this artwork is an act of love, where attention to detail transforms everyday objects into icons. Like her contemporary, Georgia O'Keefe, Holme found her own visual language in rendering everyday objects. The artists share a common thread of meticulous observation. Artists are in ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.