Settee c. 1936

Arthur Johnson made this watercolour painting of a settee, at an unknown date. I’m thinking about him there, trying to capture the essence of this piece of furniture, the light on the wood, the texture of the woven seat. It's fascinating how he's rendered something so functional with such care, you know? There's a warmth in the tones he’s chosen, a sense of nostalgia maybe. It reminds me of Fairfield Porter, or maybe even some of those early American folk artists. They all shared that dedication to portraying the everyday. I wonder what Johnson was thinking about as he painted this? Did he imagine people sitting on it, sharing stories? Or was he simply captivated by the play of light and shadow on the wood? Artists are always in conversation, borrowing, stealing, riffing off each other. It’s all part of this messy, beautiful dance, across time. Painting’s all about embracing uncertainty and being open to multiple readings, right?