Crow and the Pitcher 

Editor: Here we have "Crow and the Pitcher" by Scott Gustafson, created with oil paint. It’s charming. The crow is so determined, captured mid-action of dropping a pebble into the pitcher. What are your initial thoughts when you examine it? Curator: The composition demonstrates a clear understanding of form. The texture of the crow’s feathers against the smoothness of the pitcher creates a striking contrast. Note how Gustafson employs light, particularly the way it reflects off the pebbles. Observe also the angle of the crow. It directs the viewer’s eye downward into the vessel. Editor: Yes, the angles! So, you’re focusing more on how the painting is constructed, and the materiality of the paint itself? Curator: Precisely. Ignoring, for the moment, the narrative content – the implicit story – we see the shapes first, and how they create the scene, or perhaps, even, an event in and of itself. The tension, or anticipation, stems not just from the fable, but from the artist’s control over line and form. Look closely at the rendering of depth. Is the piece truly three-dimensional or is the flatness intentional? Editor: I see what you mean about the flatness now! The texture almost creates its own dimension instead of relying on perfect perspective. Curator: Precisely. We can ask ourselves: Does the work need perfect perspective to successfully convey its narrative? Or is it that, rather, the disruption of expected depth accentuates certain formal qualities of the work? Editor: I learned a lot by observing the technical elements of the artwork. Paying closer attention to brushstrokes and use of light helps in appreciating the work from a technical standpoint. Curator: Indeed. Approaching art from a purely formalist perspective sharpens one’s observational skills, teaching us that sometimes, the true message resides not in what is depicted, but how.