Fruit Jar c. 1938

J. Howard Iams made this watercolour, a depiction of a fruit jar, on paper, though the date is unknown. It's hard to know whether he mixed his own colours for this or not, but it does feel very 'hands-on', in the best way. I love the way Iams uses colour in the jar to create the illusion of depth and form. Look at how he captures the subtle shifts in the colour and tone of the glass, especially near the base, where the colour intensifies, suggesting a thicker piece of glass. The paint is applied in thin, transparent layers, which gives it this luminous quality. You can almost feel the coolness of the glass. There’s a particular brushstroke near the top of the jar, a subtle but deliberate mark that suggests the curve of the glass and the way light hits it. It's these little details that make it so engaging. It makes me think of Morandi, another artist who found endless inspiration in simple, everyday objects. The fruit jar is humble, but Iams treats it with such care and attention.