Quilt c. 1939

Alice Cosgrove made this quilt, or at least a design for one, at some point in her long life. It's funny to think about that—she was born before the American Civil War and lived nearly to the end of the 20th century! I really admire how she juxtaposes the vibrant colours of the red roses and tulips with the uncoloured areas. It’s like she’s inviting us into her process, showing us the before and after, the potential within the unfinished. There's a sense of play in the composition—the way the flowers playfully interact with the linear structure of the quilt. I wonder what Alice was thinking as she stitched these patterns. Did she see the quilt as a canvas for personal expression, a way to connect with tradition while also forging her own path? I love how folk art embodies a spirit of inventiveness, using humble materials to create objects of beauty and meaning. I like to think that, in a way, we painters are still having a conversation with Alice today.