Untitled (Vase With Iris And Poppies) c. 1924

Katharine Schlater made this drawing of a vase with iris and poppies with what looks like charcoal or graphite. It’s all about the way she builds up tone and texture, a real process of layering dark and light. I love the mark-making here, the way the vase is built up through these vertical lines, almost like ribs, giving it a real sense of form. Then you see the contrast with the flowers themselves, which are softer, more organic in their shapes. And behind it all, this swirling, almost dreamlike background. Look closely, and you can see the way the charcoal is applied in different directions, creating a real sense of depth. There’s a push and pull between abstraction and representation. It reminds me a little of Odilon Redon, who also used charcoal to create these mysterious, evocative images that seem to exist in a world of their own. Ultimately, it’s a piece that invites you to slow down, to look closely, and to get lost in its shadows and light.