Water Pitcher c. 1940

This ‘Water Pitcher’ was made by Raymond McGough sometime in the 20th century, using watercolor. The way McGough handles the paint is what grabs me here; you can see the process. It’s not about hiding the brushstrokes or blending everything perfectly. It’s about the journey of the color across the paper. Look at the surface of the pitcher. The brown isn't uniform. There are layers, different shades, like he kept going back, adding depth and warmth. And those dark brown, almost black, decorations. They’re not just painted on; they're part of the form. See how they bleed a little into the background? It gives the whole thing a softness, like it’s breathing. The whole thing feels less like a picture of a pitcher and more like a memory of one. McGough reminds me of Milton Avery, in that he both has an eye for simple shapes and how they all fit together. It's all about color and form and the joy of putting paint on paper. Art is always a conversation, right?