Stoneware Jar c. 1937

Annie B. Johnston made this drawing of a stoneware jar, we don’t know exactly when, using graphite and colored pencil on paper. What I love about this artwork is how it captures the quiet strength of everyday objects. Johnston's gentle shading gives the jar a real sense of volume. I can almost feel its weight. There's a stillness to it, a meditative quality. I can imagine her, pencil in hand, carefully building up those soft, earthy tones, one stroke at a time. It reminds me of Morandi, that Italian painter who spent his whole life painting bottles. It's like Johnston is saying, "Look, there's beauty in the ordinary, in the things we take for granted." And it’s true, isn't it? Artists help us to stop, to really see, and to appreciate the simple things.