Kalenderblad voor juni 1904 1903

This calendar page for June 1904 was made by Anna Sipkema, using purple, green, and yellow ink, and the forms look like some kind of flower. I imagine Sipkema carefully planning the layout of the calendar, deciding where the flowers will sit, and how the colors will work together. The purple is really luscious, and the yellow helps to make the design pop. The green kind of slithers around. It’s all very elegant and decorative. I can imagine her thinking about how to make something beautiful and functional, something that would brighten people’s days as they looked at it. The composition is balanced, with the title and calendar grid nestled within this art nouveau frame. This reminds me of other artists who’ve played with combining art and utility, like William Morris. It shows that the drive to make something beautiful that also serves a purpose is a timeless impulse. Sipkema is part of this conversation and I think that is why her art speaks to me now.