Sunflower 1933

Morris Graves’ "Sunflower" painting is a still life made with oil paint using muted tones. I love how he dives right into the process here, no drawing or sketch to be seen, just paint slapped right on the canvas. You can see the texture in the way he layers the paint, thick in some areas, especially around the sunflowers themselves, and thinner in the background. It's almost like you can feel the grittiness of the wilting flower. Notice how he uses these little dashes of green and brown to create the leaves and petals. There's a sadness to it, but also a real beauty in the imperfection. Graves reminds me a bit of Milton Avery, in the way he simplifies forms and uses color to create a mood. But where Avery is all about the joy of color, Graves is more interested in the quiet, contemplative side of things. With both artists, the painting feels more like an open question than a statement.