Mug c. 1937

John Dana made this "Mug" using watercolor, and I just love how it captures something so everyday with such care. The way Dana handles the watercolor is really interesting. The paint is applied so thinly you can see the paper underneath, but this helps give the impression of glass - the way the light shines through. I’m drawn to the small, almost whimsical details: the tiny painted flowers and the miniature buildings. There’s a playfulness in how these elements are arranged around the mug, like a little world contained within its surface. It’s like folk art meets still life! It reminds me a little of some of Stuart Sutcliffe's paintings, where simple objects are given a kind of iconic status through the act of painting. Art's like a big conversation, echoing through time. It’s never really about answers, more about the questions we keep asking.