Crock c. 1937

Curator: This is Yolande Delasser's watercolor and drawing, titled "Crock," from around 1937. What do you make of it? Editor: I'm immediately drawn to the way the texture of the paper interacts with the watercolor. It's like she's trying to capture not just the object, but also a feeling of the rough, utilitarian pottery. Curator: Delasser worked within the Works Progress Administration, the WPA, during the New Deal. Many artists were employed documenting American design and material culture. Think of it as a government-sponsored visual record. Editor: Ah, that context makes it click. This wasn't just art for art's sake. It was about archiving the objects of everyday life. You know, the craftsmanship, the handiwork that defined a certain era. The actual object being an American Stoneware Crock is a cultural marker of household food preservation. Curator: Precisely. Notice the deliberate composition. She positions the object in two views, the overall shape above, and a magnification below showcasing the floral motif in greater detail. She's presenting the crock both as a functional container and as a canvas for applied design. It's quite clever. It also invites us to reflect upon class distinctions and taste. The well-worn condition is what distinguishes these items from expensive studio porcelain. Editor: I agree. And that blue floral motif, the careful rendering... it speaks to the human need to embellish even the most functional things. And think about how these crocks were made—the labour involved, the skill of the potter, the history of the materials... It's more than just a jar. It is folk art meeting mass production techniques in its day. Curator: Yes. Delasser's image serves to legitimize the imagery. I like how it focuses on the design tradition embedded within such commonplace items and immortalizes those cultural artifacts of domestic space. Editor: For me, it underscores that everything we make carries a story: the materials, the labour, the intended use. "Crock" here prompts one to contemplate how folk artistry and handmade culture shape us and are embedded with utility. Curator: A valuable consideration indeed. I hadn’t really contemplated that before you had framed your response. Thank you!