Sugar Bowl c. 1936

This is John Tarantino’s Sugar Bowl, a small painting made with watercolors, or maybe gouache, on paper. It’s the kind of painting you can just fall into. Look at how the colour is applied, like a gentle wash, allowing the paper to breathe through it. The base of the bowl is this rich, almost turquoise blue, and it lightens as the eye moves upwards. It's amazing how Tarantino captures light passing through the glass with such simple means. The whole piece feels light, almost ethereal. The delicate lines and soft hues give it a dreamlike quality, like a memory of something sweet. It reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi’s still lifes, that same quiet, contemplative approach to everyday objects. And like Morandi, Tarantino transforms the ordinary into something extraordinary, inviting us to pause and appreciate the simple beauty around us. It's a conversation across time, isn't it?