Last December 2015, I began to look at Charles Mackintosh’s artwork after discovering his designs while researching textile art and painting along with watercolor painting.  Mackintosh was a textile designer and a water-colorist.  Some of his watercolors were botanical studies and illustrations.

His illustrations and paintings revealed a rhythmic pattern making as he saw flowers and understood these visually through his own highly stylized observation and paintings. Here I include a progression of his stylized forms within the Art Nouveau movement.

He created a unique blend of floral designs with geometric patterns that due to their vibrant movement drew my attention and began to fascinate me.  The following images include a number of his watercolor-textile designs.

Images via: (Clockwise from top left) dress fabric design – National Gallery of Australia; Tulip & Lattice –http://voysey.gotik-romanik.de; Waves –http://voysey.gotik-romanik.de; Rose & Teardrop –http://voysey.gotik-romanik.de

Images via: (Clockwise from top left) dress fabric design – Victoria & Albert Museum; Stylised Tulips – http://voysey.gotik-romanik.de; furnishing fabric – Victoria & Albert Museum; furnishing fabric – Victoria & Albert Museum

(Source: Pattern Observer)

This image is © The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow 2016A high resolution version may be available from the Hunterian Photo Library
Contact our Photo-Library for more details

Others I’ve included reveal his workmanship and planning through design making schematics and studies.

This image is © The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery, University of Glasgow 2016A high resolution version may be available from the Hunterian Photo Library
Contact our Photo-Library for more details

The proximity of his design interests and his artistic forms of workmanship closely linked to watercolors and textiles were for me such a wonderful discovery.  The beauty and unique style of his paintings and designs also inspired me to take a closer look at his career and work.