Bellflowers 2005

Tetyana Yablonska made this pastel drawing, Bellflowers, at an unknown date. Look at how Yablonska builds this image from the ground up, layer by layer, with strokes of color. It's a process of addition, a kind of loving construction. I love how the colors aren't quite what you'd expect; the greens bleed into blues, and the flowers are a mix of purples and grays. Up close, you can see the individual marks, each a testament to the artist's hand. Notice the dark, almost scribbled lines defining the vase, they anchor the whole composition, giving weight to the ethereal blooms above. It's like Yablonska is inviting us to witness the very act of seeing, of translating the world onto paper. This reminds me of Joan Mitchell's approach. Both embrace the messy, the intuitive, reminding us that art isn't about perfection, but about the joy of exploration and the beauty of imperfection.