Dress 1935 - 1942

Irene Lawson painted this dress with what looks like watercolours, and maybe a fine brush for the delicate gold embroidery. You know, the kind of brush you keep rinsing to get a really smooth line. I imagine Irene hunched over a table, carefully mixing each shade of brown, layering thin washes to build up the depth of the fabric. It must have been a slow, meditative process, capturing every fold and ruffle. I sympathize with the artist. I think about how I am sometimes trying to capture the same feeling in my paintings: the weight of fabric, the drape, the way light hits a curve. I keep staring at that little pocket, with its swirling design. It’s like Lawson is whispering secrets about the woman who would have worn this dress, the little things she carried, the stories she held. It makes me wonder about all the painters who have been inspired by fashion, from Manet to Matisse. We are all in conversation, artists inspiring each other across time.