Still Life with Flowers in a Pitcher 1983

George Segal made this drawing of flowers in a pitcher, and what strikes me is how alive it feels, even though it’s a still life. I can almost see him there, charcoal in hand, smudging and layering those pinks and greens and purples. It’s like he’s not just copying what he sees, but feeling his way through the forms. The pitcher has a quirky, handmade quality, like something you’d find at a flea market. There’s something so humble about it. I bet Segal was really wrestling with how to make those flowers pop against the dark background. That hot pink celosia flower really vibrates against that murky ground. It makes me think about other artists who were pushing the boundaries of representation, like Guston or de Kooning. It's like Segal is saying, let's embrace the messiness and awkwardness of life.