Roses 1994

Maria Bozoky made this watercolour, Roses, sometime during her lifetime, but the date isn't known. Look at the way she's laid down the pigment so freely, letting the water do its thing, and yet those roses! There is something so direct and confident about her approach. I feel a connection to her, imagining her standing there, in front of those flowers, working quickly to capture the essence of their beauty before they fade. Notice how the washes create depth, as though the background and roses are breathing together. The paint is thin, luminous, and alive with movement. The contrast between the deep reds and yellows is really striking, especially against the soft greens. It's almost like she's having a conversation with painters like Emil Nolde, who also used vivid colors and loose brushwork. Painting can be like that, an ongoing exchange of ideas across time.