Stewart House c. 1936

Gladys Cook made "Stewart House" using watercolor, and I love how gentle and unassuming it is. The colors are muted, a bit like faded memories, and the brushstrokes are loose, giving the whole scene an airy, dreamlike quality. You can tell artmaking was a process for her, a way of understanding the world through a softened lens. What really grabs me are the trees framing the house. They're not just green blobs; each leaf feels individually placed, almost like Cook was trying to capture the essence of each one. The paint is thin, transparent, allowing the paper's texture to peek through, which adds to the sense of lightness. It’s as though the house and the trees are breathing together, existing in a state of peaceful harmony. This reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, but without the starkness. Cook offers us a gentle invitation, rather than a dramatic statement, choosing ambiguity over definition.