Jar c. 1953

Yolande Delasser made this watercolor called “Jar”, and it's all about seeing the world in simple shapes and colors, just like when you're a kid. The way Delasser uses watercolor is so straightforward. Look at the surface! It's not about hiding the brushstrokes or making it look perfect. The paint is thin in places, letting the paper shine through, and thicker in others, giving it a real sense of depth. See that dark brown shadow creeping up the right side of the jar? It’s like she just let the color bleed and do its own thing. It reminds me of those early Philip Guston paintings, where he's just figuring stuff out, not trying to be fancy. Delasser is having a conversation with the jar, figuring out its form through the act of painting. It’s like she's saying, "Here I am, here's a jar, let's see what happens." Art is all about that ongoing dialogue, isn't it?