Pillow Sampler c. 1937

Edith Magnette created this watercolor, "Pillow Sampler," sometime in the twentieth century, and there's something really lovely about her process. I mean, look at how she's built up the image with these small, repetitive marks, almost like she's knitting or sewing with paint. It's interesting how the colors both pop and recede. Take that dark green, for example; it almost feels velvety, like you could sink your fingers into it. Then, bam! You've got these bright pops of red and purple in the flowers. And those leaves, with their mix of green and blue, are so intriguing. I love how she's captured the light hitting them. I'm reminded of some of the early modernist painters, like Cézanne, who were also interested in breaking down forms into their basic elements and rebuilding them on the canvas. It's like Magnette is having a conversation with them, but in her own, unique voice. I love how art can be like that, an ongoing dialogue across time.