Pottery Foot Warmer c. 1937

Annie B. Johnston made this "Pottery Foot Warmer" at an undetermined date with what looks like watercolor on paper. I love the modesty and the care in this painting. It seems to be not quite brown and not quite orange; Johnston really takes the time to find the "right" color, and the yellow ochre highlights give it a kind of glow, like it’s lit from the inside. I can imagine her thinking of her own cold feet! And look at the care that she takes with the surface. I can imagine her slowly building the color, layer upon layer, until she gets a kind of skin-like surface. If you zoom in, you can see each little mark of the brush or whatever she used. You know, there’s a way that all paintings talk to each other, and here, I'm reminded of the folk art tradition and the way that everyday objects can become icons. It’s a reminder that the simplest things, like a warm foot, can be the most profound.