Churn c. 1938

John Tarantino made this watercolour of a churn, sometime between 1855 and 1995; it’s a real study in muted blues and earthy tones. The mark-making feels so gentle, a soft rendering that gives the whole thing a dreamy, almost melancholic vibe. Looking at this churn, it's like time has been caught in a jar. The surface is smooth, but not too smooth, with subtle variations in color that remind me of the way light shifts on old pottery. Then there’s that beautiful eagle, rendered in dark blue. It feels both folksy and grand. The imperfections in the lines and the subtle variations in the color give it a life, a heartbeat. You can almost feel the artist’s hand as they carefully build up these layers. It puts me in mind of those Shaker drawings, so simple but so full of feeling. It’s like Tarantino is showing us that art doesn’t always have to shout to be heard.