Blue-01 1916

Georgia O'Keeffe made this watercolor, Blue-01, on paper. Just imagine the paper laid flat, the brush loaded with watery blue paint. It's a process of layering, watching the pigments bloom and settle, like clouds forming in the sky. I wonder what O'Keeffe was thinking as she made this? Maybe she felt free to experiment with shapes and forms, the essence of her vision taking shape with each stroke. The blues and grays create such a moody atmosphere, a dance of light and shadow. See those dark, curving shapes, how they contrast with the softer washes? The texture created with the brush really draws you in. This piece makes me think about other artists who explored abstraction, like Hilma af Klint or Agnes Martin. They all seem to be in conversation across time, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be. It's a reminder that art is an ongoing dialogue, where each artist builds upon the ideas of those who came before.