Sugar Bowl c. 1940

John Tarantino’s sugar bowl, made in a watercolor style, shows that even the most common objects can be a source of interest and beauty. It’s all about the process, right? Look at how the blue pigment pools and gathers on the page, revealing the texture of the paper beneath. The artist uses a limited palette, variations of blue, to explore form and light. The simple cross-hatching that defines the pattern on the bowl. See how each mark is carefully laid down, one next to the other? And that's where I start to think about Manet. Especially in his still life paintings where the objects are more than just things: they evoke a mood, a feeling, a memory. Like this sugar bowl, they invite us to slow down, to really see. To let art be open to interpretation and keep the conversation going.