Woven Coverlet 1935 - 1942

Martha L. Lanscher, who lived from 1855 to 1995, made this ‘Woven Coverlet’ with an eye for both colour and pattern. It is a great example of how art can be made through an almost mathematical process. The overall impression is a grid, but get up close and you’ll see the way Lanscher approached the making of each shape and line. There is a very organic, hand-made feel to it. I particularly love the way the browns and oranges play off each other. See how the darker areas seem to absorb light, while the orange glows almost from within? It reminds me a little of the work of Anni Albers, who brought the concerns of modern art to weaving. Both artists encourage us to think about the grid not as a rigid structure, but as a flexible and dynamic field of possibilities. It’s like they are having a conversation across time! And isn't that what art is all about?