edwards preferred people to interpret her art in their own way, which is why she titled her work with the initials 'ny' (for work done in new york) and with a number, rather than a more descriptive title. she first exhibited a series of black paintings in new york in 1978. in hand written notes on her work in 1983, edwards explained that, for her, black "is essential for directing the viewer...into a spiritual dimension, acknowledging the hidden mysterious nature of the eternal". edwards noted that a black surface attuned the viewer to strive to glimpse subtleties of forms, some of which gave an illusion of depth (with some planes receding and others approaching the viewer), an illusion which could be related psychologically to the experience of varying levels of human consciousness: "if the painter achieves sufficient depth in the process of painting an experience of passing through an open door into a feeling of oneness or unity or complete freedom is attained".