The Builders

This painting shows a group of busy workers on a building site, mixing mortar, hanging cabinets, and carrying supplies. Charles F. Quest was a sculptor and printmaker as well as a painter, and enjoyed the satisfaction of making things with his hands. Here, he painted a cheerful view of construction workers that celebrates physical labor and teamwork. The thick, gritty paint evokes the sand, cement, and rough-hewn wood of an unfinished building.