Blown Glass 1935 - 1942

Janet Riza made this watercolor of a blown glass vase. Imagine her, maybe sitting at a table by the window, trying to capture this gorgeous amethyst colour. It's got such a lovely, solid presence, yet there's also a delicacy in the way Riza uses the watercolour. See how the vertical lines create these soft shadows, giving the vase a sense of volume, and how the floral patterns are meticulously rendered. I can feel her really looking, figuring out how to translate a three-dimensional object onto a flat surface. I love the spareness of this piece, too. There’s just enough detail to tell you everything you need to know. I think, as painters, we're always in conversation with each other, across time and space, riffing on the same themes, and this watercolor feels like a little gem in that ongoing exchange. It invites you to look closely, not just at the object, but at the act of seeing itself.