Pottery Jug c. 1938

Curator: It’s unsettling, isn’t it? All that earthy brown, coiled tension—like a dormant memory about to strike. Editor: Indeed. We’re looking at "Pottery Jug," a watercolor attributed to Sissy Finley, around 1938. The jug itself has a rather crude quality, almost rustic. Curator: "Crude" isn't the word I'd choose. Honest, perhaps? Direct. The snake wrapping around the vessel… It speaks of primal things. Like holding something dangerous, knowing its power. It is almost cartoonish, even. It is difficult to find references about the artist but her art is collected among others that capture that 30s vibe, when women could and would pick up an artistic career but without much support. Editor: Absolutely. The serpent evokes familiar mythological resonances: temptation, transformation, but also, historically, a symbol of medicine and healing appropriated across many traditions. Consider, though, how its aggressive posture also speaks to societal anxieties—a potential threat to be contained, especially given its proximity to what might have been contained *within* the jug. Curator: Oh, absolutely. And look how meticulously she's rendered the texture. Every ripple in the snake's scales, the jug's rough surface... it's a tactile experience even as a flat image. Do you think this care and attention, maybe a result of the generalized absence of expectations regarding women’s professional success, speaks of the need to persevere, to continue creating? To not be discouraged when confronted with lack of acknowledgement? Editor: Fascinating perspective. One could read into this dedication as defiance against prescribed limitations. It compels us to reassess how artistic intention is valued, perceived or even erased due to the artist's own social positionality. We should always reflect upon those aspects while enjoying art made in specific cultural contexts, as this artwork, from that historical viewpoint, gains an incredibly empowering meaning. Curator: It makes you wonder what Finley herself was holding inside. Editor: Well said. Art acts as this kind of powerful dialogue across time and cultures. I hope our listeners join this dialogue to build more meaningful appreciation, as well as equity for creators of the past, present, and future.