Embroidery on Pillow c. 1936

This is Florence Huston's 'Embroidery on Pillow', made with a needle and thread, we can assume. Just imagine all those tiny, tiny stitches, all those hours of dedication. Embroidery has such a different relationship to time than painting – but actually, what am I saying? So does painting! I think of my own studio, the hours, weeks, spent layering, scraping, and building up surfaces. I wonder, as Florence worked on this pillow, was it a space for contemplation, a way to slow down and find peace in the rhythm of the needle? The pattern feels both formal and folksy. I wonder about the act of repetition, the way the same motifs – those flowers, those frills – keep coming back, slightly different each time. It reminds me that art is a conversation, not just with ourselves, but with everyone who has ever picked up a needle, a brush, or any other tool of expression. There’s so much patience, attention and intention here.