Table 1936

Hans Westendorff made this watercolor drawing of a table sometime during his long life. I love the way the legs splay out like an eager puppy! Westendorff was clearly interested in the process of observing and recording the details of this object. See how he painstakingly maps the wood grain on the tabletop, using thin washes of transparent color. The surface is smooth and precise, with barely any visible brushstrokes. It's almost as if he wanted to conceal the act of making, to let the object speak for itself. But I'm drawn to the little imperfections, like the tiny splatters of paint on the paper. They remind me that this is a handmade image, not a photograph. This drawing reminds me a bit of some of the Shaker artists, who also valued simplicity, utility, and careful craftsmanship. Artmaking as a record of looking, of seeing, and of attending to the world around you.