Stoneware Jug c. 1938

This Stoneware Jug was painted on paper by Annie B. Johnston. She’s really got some intriguing mark-making going on here, which makes me think about how artmaking is all about the process, right? I love the way she's rendered the texture of the jug – it's almost like looking at tree bark. The colors are earthy, browns and tans, and the surface has this wonderful, mottled quality. You can almost feel the roughness of the stoneware. Look closely at the way she's handled the light; she's letting the light play across the surface, creating these subtle shifts in tone. The handle being suggested by a dotted line. It all sort of blends together. Johnston reminds me a bit of Forrest Bess, in that she has her own language and is not too worried about anyone else's opinion. Art's a conversation, a constant exchange of ideas that embraces ambiguity and multiple interpretations, you know?