Copper Sugar Strainer c. 1939

Annie B. Johnston made this watercolour of a copper sugar strainer. It's like she wanted to capture not just the thing itself, but also a sense of its use, maybe even its history. The oval of the strainer with its little white dots has this lovely, slightly wonky form, and that handle looks smooth, and worn from years of use. I can imagine Annie B. Johnston, carefully rendering each detail, thinking about the person who used it and the sweet moments it helped create. What was she thinking as she brushed on each layer of pigment? Was she remembering her own grandmother’s kitchen, the smells of baking, the taste of sugary treats? It reminds me a little of Morandi's bottles and jars. He was looking at everyday objects, trying to capture the quiet beauty of ordinary things. It makes you realize that every object has a story to tell, if you just take the time to really look. We're all connected, through time, and through the things we make and use.