Crock c. 1938

Nicholas Amantea painted this "Crock" using what seems to be watercolor on paper. There's a gentle touch to it; I can see the layered washes and a kind of tentative but loving approach. I wonder what was going through Amantea's head as he captured this humble object. The way he renders the cylindrical form, it feels like he's really looking, really trying to understand the object's shape and volume. The paint is thin, allowing for subtle gradations of color that give the crock a sense of depth. It's like he's trying to figure out the very essence of the object. I’m especially drawn to the dark blue floral design; each stroke is deliberate, adding a touch of the artist’s personality. Painting is just one big conversation; we're all riffing off each other across time. Each brushstroke is a question, a statement, a little piece of the artist's soul laid bare on the surface. There's no right or wrong answer, just the endless exploration of seeing and feeling.