Wine Glass c. 1937

Rolland Livingstone painted this ‘Wine Glass’ without a specific date using watercolor. I love that Livingstone chose this simple object, a humble glass, and gave it a certain reverence through the act of painting. The single colour creates a mood that’s somber, the blues are allowed to deepen in some areas while remaining light and airy in others. Notice how the pigment pools at the base of the glass, giving it weight and presence. This little pool of colour suggests a physical reality. It reminds me of Giorgio Morandi’s still lifes; I’m thinking of the way Morandi would return to the same objects again and again. Livingstone has embraced a similar kind of focused attention, and invites us to slow down and really see the beauty in the everyday. It makes you wonder what's in the glass, or what the glass represents. It's all about process and taking your time to really look.