Water Pitcher c. 1940

This 'Water Pitcher' by Carl Buergerniss is rendered in watercolor, giving it a soft, almost dreamy quality. The way the blue bleeds into the paper reminds me that art is as much about what you let happen as what you make happen. It's a process. Look closely, and you'll see how Buergerniss used the texture of the paper to his advantage, letting the watercolor pool in the little valleys, creating a sense of depth and shadow. The blue isn’t just blue; it's a whole range of blues, from the palest sky blue to a deep, almost indigo hue. The handle, shaped like a branch, is a cool, silvery gray, a striking contrast to the warm blue of the pitcher. The more I look at it, the more I’m reminded of the work of Joseph Cornell, who also had a knack for transforming everyday objects into something magical and strange.