Still Life with Tomatoes and Pitcher 1931

George Bouzianis made this watercolor, Still Life with Tomatoes and Pitcher, with wet washes of color that bleed into one another. Look at the lines he’s drawn; they are free and kind of all over the place. It gives the objects a loose, playful feel. The paint is thin, like he’s really letting the water do its thing. You can almost feel the way the colors mix and mingle on the page. See how the green of the pitcher melts into the red of the tomatoes? It's like he’s capturing a moment, not trying to get everything perfect. The quick strokes and transparent layers create a sense of movement. This reminds me of Cezanne and his watercolors – that same searching quality. But Bouzianis brings his own sensitivity to it. It’s like he’s having a conversation with the objects, figuring them out as he goes. Painting is not about answers, but about embracing the questions.