Reading "Henri Matisse, The Cut-Outs"

I picked up this book to learn more about Henri Matisse's work and his techniques of working, while reading I did discover the carefully contemplated method behind the colourful compositions but I also learnt about Henri Matisse himself and the importance of this work.

There is an image, in the book, of Matisse sitting in a wheel chair, drawing with scissors and surrounded by a rainbow of paper off cuts while his studio assistant pins the pieces to the wall as Matisse has directed. This is because Matisse create his series of "Cut-Outs" towards the end of his life when he was sick and sometimes could not even leave his own bed. This limitation, that many would see as demotivating, was a motivator for Matisse to create some of his most innovative pieces.

The book explains how Matisse loved spending time in the garden however due to his illness, this was not always possible. So, Matisse created a "little garden" of cut-outs pinned across his walls with cobalt blue pomegranates and large leafy forms. This idea of transforming the space is very inspiring to me as it makes me think of how, due to the pandemic, myself and so many other people have been stuck staring at the same four walls which has led unfortunately to many people feeling unmotivated, stressed and alone. So, for my current project I am taking some advice from Henri Matisse and creating a surface pattern collection that will transform a home into a creatively energising and anxiety-free space.