Kalenderblad oktober met bloemen, mogelijk kamperfoelie of clematis before 1904

This is a calendar page for October designed by Anna Sipkema. Look at the clematis twisting around the calendar dates with its light yellow flowers and its tendrils curling and reaching. I think about Anna at her drawing desk, probably in the autumn time, looking out the window. Maybe she had a vase of clematis in front of her. I imagine her trying to capture the spirit of October, the colours of fall, but also a sense of growth that continues even as the season changes. The dark purple is like the darkening evenings, but the yellow brings light and hope. I love the way she balances decoration with utility, making something beautiful that is also functional. It is like she is saying that even the most mundane things in life can be a source of joy and inspiration if we pay attention to them. Sipkema reminds me of Hilma af Klint, another woman artist finding new forms.