Stoneware Jar c. 1937

Annie B. Johnston made this drawing of a Stoneware Jar, and it looks like she used graphite, watercolor, and maybe some colored pencil on paper. What strikes me about it is its quietness. The jar sits there, solid and still, rendered in soft, earthy tones. It's like Johnston isn't just showing us a jar, but something about steadiness and utility, something about the beauty of everyday objects. I can imagine her, carefully building up the form with layers of graphite and then adding subtle washes of watercolor to give it depth. It makes me think about all the other artists who find endless inspiration in the simplest of subjects. There's something so satisfying about taking an ordinary object and finding the extraordinary within it. It’s like painters are in this endless conversation with the world, and with each other, always trying to capture something that feels true.