Toleware Teapot c. 1939

This is Franklyn Syres’s rendering of a Toleware Teapot. Just imagine Syres, brush in hand, carefully building up the form of the pot with dark strokes, only to have it erupt with these lively blooms. I wonder what Syres was thinking when they were making this? I can almost feel the artist's hand, steady, but with a delicate touch, as they added each petal. Those reds, grounded by a contrasting black, that bring such warmth and life to a mundane object. Painting like this reminds me of other forms of embodied expression, like dance. It's as if Syres is whispering to us, reminding us of the simple joys in life, things like the beauty of folk art. Artists are always in conversation, aren’t they, borrowing and building upon each other's ideas. Painting allows for multiple readings, embracing ambiguity, and celebrating the act of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world.