Bowl c. 1936

John Tarantino made this painting of a bowl, we don't know when, and rendered in soft watercolor. It's like he's captured not just the form of the bowl, but also its essence. I love how the blue and teal washes suggest the object is reflective and translucent as light moves through the glass. It's got these funny, almost cartoon-like handles. Were they there on the original bowl, or is this a bit of artistic license? I imagine Tarantino hunched over this piece, carefully building up the layers, trying to get that delicate balance between form and light just right. Like a quiet conversation between the eye, the hand, and the object itself. We painters, we're all in conversation with each other, across time. Tarantino is in dialog with Morandi. Each one teaches the next how to really see. Painting is like an ongoing experiment; we embrace the unexpected, finding new possibilities in the interplay between medium and imagination.