Pottery Jug c. 1940

Gerald Scalise created this pottery jug drawing with what looks like watercolour on paper. The earthy tones are applied in a gentle, almost shy way, reminding me of the quiet, meditative moments in the studio. Looking closely, I can see how Scalise builds up the form with layers of transparent washes. The color isn’t flat; it subtly shifts and pools, giving the jug a sense of depth and weight. Notice the way he suggests the light hitting the surface, those subtle highlights that make it feel like there’s air around the object. And those small dark marks - are they imperfections in the pottery, or just the artist's mark? It’s interesting to think about how a simple, everyday object can become the subject of such careful attention. It's like Giorgio Morandi, who spent his career painting the same bottles over and over. Both artists find endless possibilities in the simplest of forms. Art isn't always about grand gestures; sometimes, it's about seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.