Crock c. 1938

Nicholas Amantea made this object portrait, Crock, with graphite and watercolor wash. I love the way Amantea allows the medium to breathe. There’s a subtle wash of color, almost a watercolor stain, that lets the paper peek through. It’s like he’s saying, “Hey, this is paint, but it’s also just pigment on a surface.” Look at the base of the crock, where the color fades and pools. That little imperfection speaks volumes. It's honest. It’s not trying to hide the process, but rather celebrate the material and the gesture. And that blue flourish on the front? It's not just decoration, it’s a little jolt of energy, a contrast to the muted tones. This feels like a cousin to some of the work of Giorgio Morandi, who spent his life painting the same bottles over and over. It’s about seeing, really seeing, the world around us, even in the most ordinary objects. It reminds us that art is an ongoing conversation, an invitation to look closer and think harder.