Sketch of the Week: WPA Flowers

For the most part, the art I tend to make has no direct relation to the Museum, aside from it being the site of the clay studio, of course. Sure, my drawing style shares similarities with some of the artists in our collection, as does the subject matter, but I generally don't deliberately channel specific works in the Museum. One of my latest sketches, however, is an exception.

Recently I've been researching the RMAC's history as a WPA institution. As readers may recall, the Museum opened 1937 as a Federal Art Center, and it is one of a handful of such institutions still in operation. On top of that, we have thorough records dating back to that era, from daily reports to shipping receipts to time cards, so it's a veritable treasure trove for anyone interested in the WPA.

While reading some of these letters, I came across a reference to a painting in our collection, Flowers in Blue Vase by Jozef Bakos. I've always liked the work and knew it was associated with the WPA, but it was still neat to see it referenced directly in the exhibit letters.

Jozef Bakos, Flowers in Blue Vase, 1930s, oil. Image courtesy of the Roswell Museum and Art Center

Later that day, I was weeding out some dead flowers from a bouquet in my kitchen, condensing it to a more angular composition. When I was finished, I noticed it resembled the Bakos in terms of overall flower arrangement (but yes, I realize the flowers themselves are different), so I pulled out my sketchbook.

 Sometimes your work unconsciously affects your daily life.