Sugar Bowl with Cover c. 1936

A. Zaidenberg made this watercolour and graphite drawing of a sugar bowl, with a cover, at some point between 1855 and 1995. Look at how the blue paint is laid down so carefully to give the impression of a reflective surface. It's a pretty controlled process, not splashy or accidental, but very deliberate. It’s interesting to look closely at the blue. There's something about that strong color combined with the almost obsessive detail which makes it feel both familiar and slightly strange. Notice the way the paint seems to glow in some areas and sits darker in others, almost as if the sugar bowl itself is casting its own light. Focus on the small, diamond-shaped patterns on the bowl's body: each one is rendered with individual attention, creating a kind of textured surface that you want to reach out and touch, a play of light and shadow. This piece reminds me of the work of Charles Burchfield, who also saw the spiritual dimension to everyday objects. The beauty of art is that it allows us to see these objects in new ways.