A coffee pot surrounded by brown mugs and plates is set upon an intricately decorated table.

In the early 1980’s, Michigan-based artist Mike McDonnell became enamored with still life arrangements of common household objects. He began by drawing each object individually, then patiently applied multiple glazes of watercolor paint to achieve rich color and the illusion of realism. This artwork illustrates how McDonnell strove to idealize common objects in balanced and unique groupings.