Maple Sugar Bucket c. 1940

Chris Makrenos made this watercolor of a maple sugar bucket sometime in the 20th century, and the way he's handled the paint really grabs me. It's so controlled and precise, but also tender, like he's tracing the memory of this object rather than just copying it. I'm really drawn to the wood grain he's rendered with these thin, careful lines. They remind me of Agnes Martin's grids – understated, yet so full of feeling. The palette is warm, honeyed, bringing out the natural tones of the wood. There's something almost sculptural in the way he builds up the form with subtle variations in color. It's like he's saying, "Look at this humble thing. Isn't it beautiful?" I see a dialogue with folk art traditions, maybe even a nod to the Shaker aesthetic. It’s that combination of utility and quiet beauty that makes you stop and reconsider the everyday. It’s a reminder that art can be found in the simplest of things.