AN ORCHID (Pastel) by Georgia O'Keeffe (1941)

Quilt Notes: FLOWERING NINE PATCH is illustrated with two variations in Judy Rehmel's QUILT I.D. BOOK, (#2530-31, one a 5-color, the other 3-color, one with dark corners and the other with light). See also Jinny Beyer's QUILTER'S ALBUM OF PATCHWORK PATTERNS (p.133-3), where the design is traced back to the Kansas City Star, May 19, 1934. The color combinations for this block were inspired by the pastel illustrated left, Georgia O'Keeffe's incredibly lovely AN ORCHID, with crosspieces extending toward the corners, somewhat similar to FLOWERING NINE PATCH. Compare with the online reproduction at the Museum of Modern Art, however, tending more toward yellow-green hues. Unknown just what flower the quilter imagined, but an orchid, with all its expansive grace and delicate formality, would certainly seem appropriate for a geometric abstraction of "flowering," whether witnessed in nature or experienced via one's own creativity. A large selection of gorgeous artworks by Georgia O'Keeffe are available at wikipaintings.org (opens in new window). For more quilt designs at this site employing a color combination by O'Keeffe, compare with PATCHWORK PINES and GREEN RIVER. Other patterns borrowing color schemes from well known artists include: STAR LANE (Delaunay) ON THE SQUARE (Delaunay) DELFT MILL (Vermeer) OLD CROW (Calder) SUNSHINE AND STAINED GLASS (Delaunay)