Eardley Jar c. 1938

Clyde Cheney made this Eardley Jar, likely with watercolor, and you can see how the light and shadow give shape to this everyday object. It’s a reminder that art doesn’t always need a fancy subject. Look at the way Cheney layered the browns and creams to build up the form. It's not about hiding the process; you can almost see the artist’s hand moving across the page, adding depth and texture. The color is mostly monochrome, but with subtle shifts in tone, and the brushstrokes give the jar a kind of quiet energy. I'm reminded of Morandi’s still lifes, in the way that Cheney finds something profound in the ordinary. Both artists show us that paying attention is an art in itself, and that the simplest forms can hold so much beauty if we just take the time to really see them.