Material Woven from Cat-tails c. 1935

Melita Hofmann made this work, Material Woven from Cat-tails, at an unknown date. The artist is interested in pattern, so much so that two are rendered on one sheet! I really admire Hofmann's dedication here, and think she's in an interesting conversation with Hilma af Klint, another woman artist with an affinity for pattern. Hofmann has created two possible designs, the one on the left is darker and feels to me like it has more depth. You can sense how the artist’s hand moved, patiently building up layers of marks to achieve the tessellated effect. The work on the right is interesting, too, but feels like the artist is reaching for something that isn't quite there, which is something I can definitely relate to! In the end, artists don't work in a vacuum: they are influenced, impacted and inspired by each other's forms of expression!