Sacred Cod 1940

This ‘Sacred Cod’ by John W. Kelleher is a study in watercolor, a real deep dive into brown and cream shades, and how to use them to describe the form of this magnificent fish. Look at how the color is layered, almost like glazing, so thin and transparent, one layer over another. It's not about hiding the process, but about building form gradually, revealing the hand of the artist at every stage. See that red slash behind the head? It's like a little jolt, a reminder that this isn't just any fish, but a symbol, maybe even a sacrifice. Kelleher's work reminds me of folk art traditions where the subject is less about precise representation and more about capturing the essence, the spirit, of the thing. And isn't that what art is all about, anyway? Getting to the heart of things.