Flask c. 1936

Charles Caseau, who lived a long life, made this drawing of a Flask with what looks like watercolor or gouache. These see-through blues and greens of Caseau's flasks are light and floaty, like a memory of a color. I love the way the pencil lines underneath peek through, revealing the thought process, not trying to cover up the tracks. The central flask, with its Albany Glass Works inscription, anchors the piece with its direct, almost technical depiction. Look at how the light catches the curve of the glass, a simple line that gives so much form. It's like a casual conversation about light and form, color and surface. You can see how he's feeling his way around the object, much like Giorgio Morandi, but less heavy. It's this kind of unassuming, exploratory mark-making that makes art feel alive, a conversation that keeps going.