Locket c. 1937

This delicate watercolor of a Locket was made by John H. Tercuzzi, sometime before his death in 1995. The golden hues are laid down in thin, transparent washes, building up the form of each locket piece by piece. It's a slow, deliberate way of working, a dance between control and surrender that I find really appealing. Look at how Tercuzzi captures the way light reflects off the metal, using subtle gradations of color to suggest depth and volume. You can almost feel the weight of the locket in your hand. The surface is smooth, almost polished, yet you can still see the individual brushstrokes, a trace of the artist's hand. I love the little marks and details in the ornamentation, they add a sense of intimacy to the piece. Tercuzzi had a beautiful, delicate style in his watercolor work, a gentler contrast to someone like Giorgio Morandi, who took the same care to capture the colour and light of bottles and ceramics. Both find profundity in everyday objects. Ultimately, it reminds us that art isn't about answers, it's about opening up a space for contemplation.