Herb Tea 1995

Janet Fish made this still life painting called 'Herb Tea' with oil on canvas. It's so interesting to see how she handles this busy table top; each object distinct but unified by the way the light catches and distorts everything. The surface is smooth, you can barely see the brushstrokes, which kind of obscures the process, but it's also very controlled and assured. The colour palette is fascinating – soft pinks and oranges contrasting with the cool, almost metallic grays of the shadows. I find my eye drawn to the plastic bag and lemon, which is rendered so beautifully. The transparency of the bag is captured with such subtlety, it feels almost real, yet it's clearly paint. Fish’s work reminds me a bit of Giorgio Morandi, in the way that both artists focus on simple, everyday objects. But where Morandi is muted and contemplative, Fish is vibrant and energetic. Both artists show us that the ordinary can be extraordinary when seen through the eyes of a painter.