Georgiana houghton's art

Georgiana Houghton did nonrepresentational watercolors. People ridiculed her when her work was exhibited.

She connected each painting with a person, living or dead, known or unknown to her, famous (like William Blake) or not. Though her writing about her work contradicts itself, saying it’s symbolic and literal in turns.

from Hilma af Klint by Julia Voss:

Houghton, in contrast, looked within for her visions, which she captured in increasingly elaborate watercolors. She was interested not in outward appearances but rather in the phenomena that occurred when her consciousness gave up control of her body. The division of labor was clear: the Pre-Raphaelites concerned themselves with the outward form, while Houghton gave shape to an invisible inner life.

In artistic questions she relied on two sources for advice. One was an artist friend whom she referred to as Mr. L; his full name is not revealed in her autobiography, Evenings at Home.6 Spirits were her other source; they counseled her not just about painting but also about practical matters. For example, they sent transit suggestions—she was to take “the Paddington omnibus” to visit friends—or they offered advice on her wardrobe, suggesting that on the day of her vernissage she should wear “a coat of many colors.”7

re: her solo exhibition:

All of the 151 works that hung in the gallery were hers. None of them was particularly large—few exceeded 32 by 23 centimeters. But each picture had an unconventional density and captivating effect. Her watercolors were composed of hundreds of overlapping, vortex-like lines. There were dark, mysterious paintings and bright red-toned paintings that exuded a fiery energy (see plate 8).

But the most extraordinary thing about the watercolors is what they show: nothing, according to conventional understanding. There are only colors and lines, layers, depths, and swirls. The artist distributed magnifying glasses so viewers could take a closer look at the delicate compositions. But what, many asked, were they supposed to look at? There were no people, no landscapes, no houses—no figures at all. Houghton’s watercolors were nonrepresentational, abstract—though this concept was not developed until later.

[[ automatic drawing ]] [[ pre-raphaelites ]]