Oriental Poppies 

Mildred Anne Butler made this watercolor painting, Oriental Poppies. The way Butler has deployed her medium gives the painting its character. Think about the way that watercolor sits on the surface of paper: it doesn’t have the body or density of oil paint, so it's typically applied in thin washes. You can see this clearly here, in the layered hues of orange, green, and purple. It's a labor-intensive process, with many steps involved in building up the image. Each layer subtly shifts the color and tone, creating depth and vibrancy. This technique demands patience and control. The translucent quality of watercolor allows light to penetrate and reflect off the paper, creating a luminous effect. Paying attention to the material qualities and processes behind a painting such as this, enhances our appreciation of the artist's skill, moving beyond traditional art history to consider the importance of craft and materiality.