Eagle c. 1937

Flora Merchant made this watercolour painting of an eagle, we don't know exactly when, but she lived a long life, dying in 1995. The way she’s worked here is really interesting, each mark so carefully placed to describe the feathers, the drapery, and the motto, *E Pluribus Unum*, held in the eagle’s beak. What strikes me is the texture she achieves with these thin washes of colour. Look at the feathers of the eagle. See how she builds up the tones with many layers? It is painstaking. The wings have a real sense of depth, almost as if they could lift off the page. The stars and stripes on the flags are so neatly delineated, too. Think of the time and patience it took to create these details. It makes me think of Agnes Martin, who brought such dedication to her grids. You might think this kind of painting is about exactitude. But for me, it’s actually about feeling, and about devotion. Both of which resonate with me, and my own process as an artist.