Pitcher c. 1936

Ralph Atkinson made this painting of a pitcher, in a realistic style, using delicate brushstrokes and a muted color palette. I can imagine him carefully observing the light as it falls on the red glass, trying to capture its reflective quality. He probably worked slowly, building up the image in layers, correcting, adjusting, and refining the details over time. The pale color of the handle is a surprise! There’s a real sensitivity to the relationship between light and form. Atkinson is interested in the transparency of the material, allowing the light to filter through the object and create intricate patterns of light and shadow. Painters are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring one another’s creativity. It's lovely to think of Atkinson carefully observing, capturing his own way of seeing and thinking about the world. Painting is like an embodied expression. It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations.