Quilt c. 1939

This “Quilt” of indeterminate date was made by Ralph M. Lewis, possibly in the late 20th century. It’s so easy to look at the quilt and think about process. I wonder about the artist making all these decisions, about the edges, the corners, how one color bumps up against the next. It's so interesting to notice the pinks, reds, and greens that make up the colour palette. It’s like each square is a little world, a tiny, tender negotiation. What I love about this quilt is how the material itself speaks. The texture, the colour, the surface - it all hums with the artist’s intention, the need to create these nested squares. I bet that Lewis was in a conversation with other artists. A back and forth across time. I love this idea, it is very profound for me. We all inspire each other's creativity. For me, the making of art is an ongoing conversation, with yourself and others, that embraces the ambiguous and the uncertain. Isn’t that lovely?