Baptismal Font c. 1937

Gerald Transpota made this baptismal font drawing using watercolour. The colors are earthy and warm, mostly browns and oranges. The layering of pigment makes me wonder about the artist’s process. Did they start with lighter washes and build up to the darker tones, carefully rendering the object's form and texture? It's fun to imagine Gerald getting the layers just right, capturing the way light hits the metallic surface. I think about the repetition of those horizontal bands. It’s almost hypnotic. The little bumps create a pattern, and the handle is cute. The attention to detail makes me think about how Gerald must have really cared about this object. There is a sense of reverence. The artist's hand is apparent in the soft shading and the way the colours blend. Transpota reminds us of the beauty and significance of everyday objects, inviting us to see them with new eyes. It also reminds us how artists are in ongoing conversations, inspiring each other across time.