Sunshade 1935 - 1942

Here we have Christabel Scrymser's "Sunshade", made with watercolour and graphite on paper. It's got a vibrant green palette, which is layered and textured to build up the form of the umbrella. I can just imagine the artist, brush in hand, carefully layering these greens to catch the light and shadow. What was she thinking as she made the ruffles? Did she feel free and playful? I see those delicate, frilled edges that have such a tactile quality; you almost want to reach out and touch them. The artist probably spent a lot of time on those details. Then the handle and the ribbon are in brown hues, which give the painting an earthy anchor. It reminds me of other botanical artists, who were attentive to form, but here, Scrymser takes something functional, and elevates it. Artists are always looking at each other's work, riffing and building on the ideas of the past. Each stroke is a tiny decision, a contribution to this amazing conversation that goes on through time.