Vase c. 1937

Janet Riza made this vibrant watercolor of a vase, and the first thing that hits you is that luscious blue. It’s laid down in washes, so you see the paper underneath, giving it a kind of translucent, luminous quality. Looking closer, the paint isn’t applied uniformly; there are darker, more intense areas that create a sense of depth and form. It's almost like Riza is letting the water do its own thing, guiding the pigment but also letting it pool and settle where it wants. You can imagine Riza stepping back, watching the color bleed and blend, deciding when to intervene and when to let it flow, and that kind of back and forth is part of the joy of making art. This piece reminds me of the still life paintings of Giorgio Morandi. Like Morandi, Riza's work embraces the quiet beauty of everyday objects, inviting us to contemplate the subtle variations of light, color, and form. Ultimately, art is a conversation, a dialogue across time and between artists, and this vase feels like a quiet but important part of that exchange.