Pa. German Dish 1936

This “Pa. German Dish” was made by Eugene Shellady, and, well, it feels like a folk dream. The earthy, warm tones create this grounded feeling, and the painted bird with the stylized flowers almost floats above it all. I really get into the little imperfections, the way the white paint used for the bird and lettering isn't perfectly opaque. It's like the artist is saying, "Hey, this is handmade, this is real.” Notice how the circular text isn't perfectly spaced, it makes you wonder about the human touch, the artist's hand moving around the dish. It’s like a potter's wheel, each rotation tells a story. This dish reminds me of some of the work of outsider artist, Bill Traylor, whose drawings feel similarly direct and from the heart. I think art like this reminds us that there’s real beauty in simplicity. It’s like a song you can’t get out of your head, warm and familiar.