Child's Rocking Chair c. 1939

Florence Grant Brown’s rendering of a child’s rocking chair is made with graphite and watercolor on paper. I can only imagine what it must have been like, working on this drawing; trying to get it just right. The artist’s hand coaxes gentle colors, bringing the image into being. The paint is thin and the surface is soft. I see her tracing the delicate weave of the seat, each strand a testament to time and care, echoing the gentle curves of the rocker. The weave of the seat communicates a feeling of warmth and comfort. It reminds me of cozy afternoons and childhood memories. Looking at this work, I feel like the artist is in conversation with folk artists who embraced simplicity and functionality in their work. Painters are always building on each other's ideas, aren't they? There is such beauty in the ambiguity of it all; this piece is a conversation starter, inviting us to bring our own stories and interpretations to the table.