Flask c. 1936

Charles Caseau conjured this flask with pencil and watercolor, and it makes me want to conjure one myself, in paint. I’m immediately drawn into the pale sea-foam green wash, layered to create a translucent effect. It’s so delicate, isn't it? Almost like Caseau wants us to feel the glass, not just see it. Imagine him, hunched over this drawing, carefully building up the color, one layer at a time. He’s playing with light, trying to capture that subtle glow of the glass. The three versions of the flask almost form a sequence: from portrait to side view, to finally, the main image with "Albany Glass Works". The painting style itself feels so functional. I can imagine Caseau drafting this work with precision and purpose. It's this simple, straightforward depiction that makes the work feel so honest and heartfelt. We, as artists, are all in conversation, aren’t we? Sharing ideas, inspiring each other, across time and place. Caseau's work is a reminder that sometimes the simplest gestures can speak volumes.