Crock c. 1940

John Tarantino made this painting, Crock, with blue paint on paper. I can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the page, improvising this peculiar face in swooping gestures. It’s like the artist was feeling playful. I can imagine Tarantino having a bit of a laugh, trying to capture a feeling of mischievousness with these simple blue strokes. The paint is thin, almost watery, which adds to the sense of spontaneity, as though the image came about quite quickly. What a character! Those eyes especially, they're asking a question. Painters have always responded to one another, and I think Tarantino must have been looking at folk art and the sort of casualness that is so deeply earnest. Artists are always in conversation. Painting is a way to embody expression, embracing ambiguity, and inviting multiple interpretations.