Maple Sugar Mold c. 1938

Robert Calvin made this watercolor of a Maple Sugar Mold sometime in the 20th century, and there's something really interesting about the way he's approached the subject. He's not just rendering the object; he's exploring the relationship between form and surface through the soft, washy quality of watercolor, and how it flows around this thing. Look at the way the color pools and settles in the carved recesses, how the subtle variations in tone create the illusion of depth and texture, and how he uses a limited palette of browns and creams to emphasize the material qualities of the wood. It's like he’s trying to evoke a sense of touch, of warmth, of sweetness. This piece reminds me of the work of Charles Sheeler; there is the same quiet and meticulous quality to the depiction of everyday objects. I mean, art often invites us to see the world in new ways, to find beauty in unexpected places, and to appreciate the poetry of the everyday.