Baptismal Bowl c. 1939

Beverly Chichester’s "Baptismal Bowl" is a beautiful example of watercolor painting that captures a simple object with such care and attention. The process here feels delicate and precise, as if Chichester is trying to understand this bowl through the act of painting it. The way Chichester layers the blues is really striking. Some areas are so light they’re almost translucent, giving a sense of the bowl being filled with water. Then, in the deeper sections, the blue becomes this rich, almost velvety tone. Look closely, and you can see how she's built up the form with tiny, deliberate strokes, following the contours of the glass. There’s a lovely dance between control and letting the watercolor flow. Chichester’s work reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi, who painted simple still lifes over and over. Both artists find endless complexity in everyday objects, revealing how the act of seeing and painting can transform the mundane into something extraordinary. It's not just about what's there, but how we look at it.