Mortar c. 1940

Charles Garjian made this painting called Mortar, and it's a wood grain explosion of browns, yellows, and reds. I can imagine him really getting into the nitty-gritty details of the wood, feeling the texture, almost becoming the wood himself! What do you reckon he was thinking as he painted? Did he have a really visceral connection with the wood? The way the paint is applied, thin but rich in color, brings out the mortar's form and the beauty of the wood grain. I love how the lines swell and curve around the object, creating a sense of depth and solidity. It reminds me a little bit of Morandi and his still lifes but with a down-to-earth sensibility. What’s great about painting, and this piece really shows, is that it’s an ongoing conversation between artists, across generations, inspiring new ways of seeing and making. It's not about fixed meanings but embracing the unknown, the unpredictable.