Dunder Mifflin's office, Scranton PN

Fans of a certain workplace comedy will recognize this building right away. This watercolor and ink piece shows the offices of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, the setting for so many awkward meetings, pranks, and quiet moments by the coffee machine. The artist, Pam Beesly, captures the plain two story building with a gentle eye, softening its ordinary concrete walls with washes of lilac, grey, and green. A leafy tree leans against one corner, and a couple of cars sit parked out front, giving the scene a calm, everyday feel.

What makes this painting touching is who made it. Pam started out as the office receptionist with dreams of becoming an artist, and her journey to take that talent seriously runs through the whole story of the show. The loose ink outlines and soft brushwork suggest someone still finding their style, which fits perfectly. There is nothing grand about the subject, just a normal office park you might drive past without a second look, but that is the point. It is a heartfelt tribute to an unremarkable place that meant a great deal to the people who worked there.