Sierpapier met Florentijnse lis 1936 - 1938

Wijnand Otto Jan Nieuwenkamp, created this *Sierpapier met Florentijnse lis* – decorative paper with Florentine lily – and when you look at it, you can imagine the artist making repeat patterns, trying out different marks and motifs, seeing how they fit together. There's something about the choice of these very fresh, delicate greens, that makes you think of a garden, or a meadow. I wonder if Nieuwenkamp was thinking about William Morris, and the Arts and Crafts movement, and how nature can be translated into art. It’s all about the surface, the texture, the way the colors interact and kind of dance together. Making something like this must have taken so much patience and concentration, because as a pattern, it must have involved careful placement. The more I look at it, the more I think about the conversations artists have with one another, across time and space. You know, Nieuwenkamp learned from others, and in turn, inspires people today. That’s how art evolves, right? Each artist adds their voice to the mix, and keeps the conversation going.