Fabric Coverings with Patterns of Gillyflowers and Water Lilies c. 1911 - 1915

This fabric covering with patterns of gillyflowers and water lilies was made by Chris Lebeau sometime in his life. I'm curious about the way the patterns emerge, how the whole thing is built up through small marks and shapes. It is such a gentle, repetitive process, a bit like the way thoughts grow and form in your head. Look closely, and you can see how the texture and color work together. The soft green against the pale background gives it a calming feel, like looking at a misty garden. My eye is drawn to the way the gillyflowers are rendered. They seem to hover there. There’s an echo of William Morris in the way Lebeau approaches the design, but there’s also a softness and subtlety that feels distinctly his own. Art is always a conversation, isn’t it? And there’s so much room for interpretation, for feeling, and for just letting the beauty of the thing wash over you.