Stoneware Crock 1936

Curator: This is Jerome Hoxie's "Stoneware Crock," a watercolor from 1936. What's your immediate take? Editor: Well, my first impression is its solemn simplicity. The muted grey-brown tones create this feeling of quiet utility, almost a somber mood. It makes me think of lives dependent on preserving harvests. Curator: Indeed. Consider the socio-economic context of the 1930s. During the Great Depression, there was a focus on everyday objects, a return to simple living. This crock, a humble object, gains new significance as a symbol of self-sufficiency and resilience in hard times. Editor: I agree. You can also see how artistic movements of the time are mirrored here. There's this Regionalist fascination with rural life, yet Hoxie's approach seems quieter, less romanticized than, say, a painting by Grant Wood. Do you agree? Curator: I do. And perhaps there is even an interesting gendering going on as well, since traditionally things made with clay or those involving domestic tasks were traditionally allocated to women, this work forces a discussion about what a "male" approach might look like within that. Also the stoneware here makes one ask what is considered "high" art compared to what is domestic and simply functional. Editor: Interesting! What do you think a contemporary artist would be taking away from seeing this piece today? Curator: In our age of mass-produced goods, a piece like this is ripe for artists seeking out those intersectional and critical lenses. In doing so the work is not simply sentimental or nostalgia; instead the stoneware takes on these social meanings for those creating art that attempts to represent a return to simpler things. Editor: That’s an excellent point. Thank you for making it for me, as always! Curator: It’s always a joy.