Cushion Top c. 1936

Here is Florence Huston's *Cushion Top*, a watercolour and graphite on paper work. Just looking at it, I can picture the painting itself coming into being through layers. First, the pillow form in yellow and gold watercolour washes. Then the darker, decorative border. The whole thing is soft and inviting like a summer afternoon nap. And then we have the addition of the stag at the centre. It feels significant. Is it the artist's crest? A decorative motif popular at the time? Or a kind of personal symbol? I imagine that once that was in place, the cushion cover would come alive in a completely different way. Huston is in conversation with folk art, with heraldry, and the domestic sphere. It’s a great example of how acts of painting are embodied expressions which embrace ambiguity.