Wedding Veil c. 1941

Mary Fitzgerald made this drawing of a Wedding Veil, using graphite and watercolor, at some point in her long life between 1855 and 1995. Look at the way she patiently built up the image with these very delicate marks. It’s a beautiful example of how process can become the point, not just the means to an end. The texture is fascinating, isn’t it? The way she layered the graphite and watercolor gives the veil a real sense of depth, almost like you could reach out and touch it. The floral patterns and scalloped edges are rendered so precisely, yet there's a softness to the overall effect. It's as if she's trying to capture not just the appearance of the veil, but also the emotions and memories associated with it. See how each stich is composed of tiny dots and dashes? That’s a labor of love! It reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin’s subtle grids, where the act of repetition becomes a meditative practice. But with a folksy twist. Both artists show us how much can be said with a whisper rather than a shout.