Crock c. 1938

John Tarantino made this watercolor of a crock, and related decoration, on paper. The washes of blue and brown, set against the stark white of the page, feel immediate, like a thought made visible. I love the way Tarantino embraces the fluidity of watercolor. The blue bleeds and blends, creating soft edges and subtle gradations of tone. It's almost as though the form of the crock is emerging from a dream, or dissolving back into one. The loose brushwork feels honest, unpretentious. It reminds me of Alfred Maurer’s paintings, with the way he used watercolor to depict vases of flowers or still life arrangements. Both artists seem interested in capturing the essence of a form, rather than a literal representation. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation, a way of seeing and thinking that evolves through time.