Jar c. 1937

John Tarantino made this Jar, we're not sure exactly when, but what I see here is a real dance between control and letting go. Look at the glaze, how it pools and drips, creating these wonderful, unpredictable textures. Then, smack dab in the middle, you've got this bird, almost like a cobalt blur, perching on a branch. The bird’s tail feathers seem to drip and run, while its eye and beak are carefully outlined. The contrast makes the image so much more interesting. The color is really striking – that bold, saturated blue against the warm, earthy tones of the jar itself. It reminds me of some of the early American folk art, where the emphasis was on function and decoration. But there's something so fresh and alive about this piece. It makes me think about how art is always recycling and remixing old ideas in new ways.