Gemel Bottle c. 1936

Yolande Delasser created this drawing of a Gemel Bottle, using what looks like watercolor, sometime in the 20th century. I love the way the earthy browns and tans give the bottle a grounded, almost weighty presence, while the delicate blue lines dance across its surface. It's like she's capturing the essence of something handmade, a process of shaping and decorating that's both functional and playful. Look at the way the color creates depth, with subtle shadows and highlights that make you want to reach out and touch it. The blue lines aren't just decoration, they feel like stories etched onto the bottle, little clues about where it came from or what it might have held. My eye keeps getting drawn to the birds, they’re so stylized and folksy. The texture she achieves with the paint is amazing, it feels almost grainy, like the actual clay of the bottle is coming through. Delasser's work reminds me a little of Joseph Yoakum, with her emphasis on line. Like Yoakum, Delasser's personal style elevates the ordinary to the extraordinary. It's a reminder that art is all about seeing the world in new and unexpected ways.