Toy Bank c. 1937

Florian Rokita made this watercolor of a Toy Bank; it’s got that slightly wonky realism that I just love. You know, when you look at how Rokita layers the washes of color, it's clear that they're not just copying what they see. There’s something so tender about how the different blues describe the form on top of the Bank. And the way the figure’s form is defined, but not really, makes me think about how we project stories onto objects. The slightly rough paper gives the image this great texture, almost like you could reach out and touch the real thing. It reminds me a bit of Joseph Yoakum, who also used simple materials to make images of everyday life. Both Rokita and Yoakum are really invested in the process, letting the materials speak and embracing imperfection. For me, that's what art's all about: seeing the world in a new way.