Small Blue Milk Pitcher c. 1941

Chris Makrenos made this Small Blue Milk Pitcher using gouache on paper. Rather than traditional 'high art' materials like oil paint, Makrenos has chosen gouache, a water-based paint known for its opacity. Looking closely, you can see the texture of the paint on the page. The dense color of the blue obscures the paper, emphasizing the form of the pitcher. But the choice of gouache also speaks to the more workaday associations of this medium. It is often used for illustrations, posters, and other commercial applications. It is less precious, less permanent, and less highly valued than oil paint. The pitcher itself evokes the everyday, domestic realm. Its simple form suggests functionality. By painting it in gouache, Makrenos elevates this mundane object, inviting us to appreciate the beauty in the ordinary. This choice of material and subject challenges the conventional hierarchy between fine art and the crafts. It reminds us that artistic value can be found in the everyday.