Bishop Hill: Pitcher c. 1936

James Vail made this watercolor painting of a pitcher, and it's so simple but really makes you think. The palette of browns and tans is minimal, but the way he's rendered light and shadow gives it so much depth, I find myself really drawn in. I can imagine Vail sitting with this pitcher, turning it over and over, trying to capture all the different angles and shapes. It's like he's not just painting what he sees, but what he *knows* about the object. You can really feel his presence in the delicate washes and careful linework. There's something so intimate about it, like he's inviting you into his studio, into his way of seeing. Painters are always in dialogue with each other, riffing off ideas, and building on what came before. Vail's watercolor feels like a quiet, thoughtful contribution to that conversation, doesn't it?