Peaches and Strawflowers 1990

Janet Fish made this still life painting of peaches and strawflowers using watercolor and pastel, I reckon, sometime in the late 20th century. I can almost feel the artist experimenting with the medium in a way that's both controlled and loose, you know? She probably started with quick, fluid washes, letting the colors bleed and mingle, then built up the forms with bolder pastel strokes, defining the shapes of the peaches and the texture of those strawflowers. Look how she renders that glass bowl! I can imagine Fish considering its transparency, the way it distorts and reflects light, the shadows it casts. The painting feels so physical, almost like you could reach out and pluck a peach from the canvas. It reminds me a bit of Lois Dodd’s work in its everyday subject matter and focus on light. It shows how artists are in a continuous dance, responding to and riffing off each other's ideas.