Posset Pot c. 1936

Roberta Elvis painted this quaint ‘Posset Pot’ in watercolour, with some gouache, I guess sometime in the twentieth century. I love how the brown is laid on in rhythmic lines, mimicking the pot’s ridged surface. Imagine her, patiently building up each stroke, watching the shape emerge. You can feel the artist’s hand moving, adding shadows and subtle changes in tone. What do you think she was thinking? Maybe she was just having fun with the repetition, getting lost in the process. It’s such a simple object, but she gives it so much care and attention. It reminds me a little bit of Morandi, who spent his whole life painting bottles. There's a quiet intensity in focusing on everyday things, seeing the beauty in the mundane. The way Elvis painted the silver blemishes, or marks on the pot suggests a life well used, a story untold. It makes you wonder about her world, what other treasures she found inspiration in.