Pie Plate c. 1938

Carl Buergerniss made this watercolour pie plate painting sometime in the first half of the twentieth century. He's given us a worm's eye view as well as looking straight down on it, so we can really understand the form. It’s got these lovely squiggles inside the plate. I wonder what Buergerniss was thinking when he painted those lines. Were they part of a story, or just a way of filling the space? The paint itself is thin and watery, giving it a soft, dreamy quality. The red of the plate really glows, and it reminds me of folk art, where simple materials are transformed into something beautiful and expressive. I think of Marsden Hartley who made some amazing paintings of folk art. Artists are always looking at each other and being inspired across time and space. This pie plate isn't just a static object – it's part of an ongoing conversation about art, life, and the things we choose to cherish and represent.