Red Poppy 1927

Georgia O'Keeffe painted this flower, blown up big, so we're forced to consider every petal, every curve, every shadow. I imagine O’Keeffe, close up to the canvas, pushing the boundaries of form and color, maybe searching for something beyond just representation. I think the way she builds the form with these soft, rounded shapes, it’s not just about what a flower looks like, but about how it feels. The paint isn't trying to trick you into thinking it's real—it's thick in places, and the color shifts are so subtle. It reminds me how we, as painters, are all in conversation with each other, echoing and answering across time. Her brushwork gives me courage to push the boundaries of my own work, to get lost in the process, and to embrace whatever emerges. It’s like she's saying, "Here's a poppy, but it's also so much more."