Stoneware Jug c. 1938

Annie B. Johnston made this stoneware jug with, what looks like, watercolor paint. The colors are so earthy and muted, like she was grinding up stones and plants to make her own pigments, which makes the jug come alive. Look closely, and you'll see the way the light dances on the surface, how each little drip and dab creates a sense of texture and depth. It's like she's not just painting a jug, but capturing the feeling of holding it in your hands, the weight of the clay, the coolness of the water inside. The handle, thick and smooth, is asking to be held. It reminds me of some of Fairfield Porter’s watercolors, with that same loving attention to the everyday objects that surround us. Art is about how we see, how we feel, and how we connect with the world around us.