Birds in Maize (#DW-44) 1967

This vibrant textile, titled Birds in Maize, features dynamic bird motifs on strips of bright red and navy. You know, when I look at this, I imagine the artist immersed in the process, perhaps surrounded by bolts of colorful fabric, meticulously applying wax and dye to create these intricate patterns. It's such a labor of love, layering color upon color to build up the design. There’s a lot of layering in painting too! I am drawn to the way the red and blue play against each other, how the bold shapes of the birds contrast with the delicate swirls in the background. I can almost feel the texture of the fabric beneath my fingers, the smoothness of the wax, the crispness of the dyed cotton. It reminds me of how other painters have looked at the natural world for inspiration, transforming it into something new and alive on canvas. Making art is one big ongoing conversation, isn't it?