Applique Quilt c. 1936

This applique quilt was made anonymously, at an unknown date, and with unknown materials. What strikes me is how it is made, stitch by stitch, decisions piled on decisions, almost like a painting, but softer, warmer. The texture is so important here: the tight, diagonal hatching in the background contrasts with the curves of the green frills and the fleshy pink shapes that look like stylized flowers or pods. I wonder, what kind of conversations did the maker have with this thing while they worked on it? What kind of mood were they in? I'm drawn to the way the quilt's patterns sit on top of each other. The slightly wonky geometry makes it feel very human, intimate even. This reminds me a little of Gee’s Bend quilts, in the way that the humble materials and everyday subject matter can become something really powerful and moving. It's this constant exchange of ideas, this dialogue across time and makers, that keeps art alive.