Costume Accessory (Orange Blossoms) c. 1937

Lyman Young made this watercolor of orange blossoms, we don't know exactly when. Look at that simple, delicate line, capturing this single stem! I'm always wondering about repetition when I see botanical illustrations. Did he draw lots of versions of it? Or was this a one-shot deal? I’m sure there were some adjustments, maybe moving the leaves this way or that. I wonder, too, how he felt about these little buds—did he have an attachment to them? You know, sometimes I feel like my work is an accessory, too, like an orange blossom. And maybe all art is just here to adorn life. It's nice to think we’re all just adding something pretty to the world. Young's artwork is a gentle reminder that beauty can be found in the simplest of forms.