Cyclamen 1918

Charles Demuth made this painting of cyclamen with watercolor, and it feels like he was thinking through the process as he worked. The washes of color are so subtle; it's like he's coaxing the image out of the paper. There's a real sense of layering, of building up the image bit by bit. Look how the pinks of the flowers bleed into the stems, and how the greens and grays of the leaves create this cool, almost ghostly effect. It's like he's not just painting what he sees, but also what he feels, the essence of the flower. You can see the hand of the artist so clearly in the delicate lines and soft edges. Demuth's approach reminds me a bit of Georgia O'Keeffe, but with a lighter, more translucent touch. Both artists share a fascination with the hidden beauty of flowers, but where O'Keeffe goes for bold and assertive, Demuth is all about subtlety and nuance. And that, for me, is where the magic lies – in the way he invites us to slow down, to look closer, and to discover the quiet beauty of the world around us.