Drapery or Curtain 1935 - 1942

Henry Meyers made this decorative panel—a study for a curtain, or maybe even a wallpaper—with watercolor. I imagine him absorbed in the making of it. Maybe he was thinking about the way flowers and birds repeat in nature. The muted palette of pinks, greens and browns are very restrained, but the natural forms create a composition full of movement. I notice the sinuous curves of the branches against the gentle blush of the flowers and birds. There’s something that feels very comforting and serene. You know, making a repeating pattern like this is a real challenge! Every form has to be designed to sit perfectly alongside the next, creating something visually appealing. It’s a conversation between forms! Ultimately, painting is an exchange between the artist and the surface, a meditation on observation and expression.