Pottery Jar with Lid c. 1938

Curator: We're looking at "Pottery Jar with Lid," a watercolor drawing made around 1938 by Annie B. Johnston. It offers a fascinating glimpse into the everyday objects that held significance. Editor: Immediately, I'm drawn to the dripping glaze effect on the upper portion of the jar. It’s quite striking and hints at the viscosity and texture of the material. What kind of stories do you think this piece can tell us? Curator: This artwork really highlights the WPA Federal Art Project’s focus on depicting regional crafts and industries. Objects like this weren’t seen as high art but became valued as symbols of American industry and folkways during the Depression era. Think about how exhibiting craft and folk art served a recuperative, didactic social function at this time. Editor: Absolutely, but it goes beyond symbolism, doesn’t it? The deliberate rendering in watercolor elevates a common, utilitarian object, highlighting its craftsmanship. The level of detail really directs the eye to appreciate the hand of the maker of the pottery itself, and by extension Johnston’s labor as a maker of art too. Curator: I agree. Consider also how displaying "Pottery Jar with Lid" as art might impact perceptions of class. The seemingly mundane—a simple jar—acquires a new kind of significance in a museum setting. What happens when folk craft meets fine art? It challenges traditional artistic hierarchies and definitions, in many ways democratizing art by broadening access to it. Editor: Right. Looking at it through a materialist lens emphasizes that craft and "high art" are less disparate than we think. There’s immense skill on display, and even if we aren't touching it we can feel the weight and the quality of the materials being represented. Curator: And thinking about why a watercolor painting? Johnston chooses this relatively accessible medium, perhaps intentionally resonating with other populist artistic strategies circulating at the time. It is reproducible and approachable. Editor: Fascinating. It underscores the political choices around displaying these seemingly modest art objects. Thank you for providing that context. It deepens my understanding considerably. Curator: Indeed. It makes you reflect on how the perceived "value" of art changes in different contexts.