Quilt c. 1939

This Quilt was made by Alice Cosgrove, some time between 1855 and 1995, and it’s a reminder that art doesn't always shout; sometimes it whispers with the softest brushstrokes. Here, the areas of color create a dialogue with the areas that remain uncolored, or perhaps were never colored in the first place. You can really see the thinking. Take the floral border at the top left, the way the vines twist and turn, and the small red flowers are rendered with so much care. But as you move around the quilt, those details fade into these ghostly outlines, as if the piece is inviting you to complete it, or contemplate its incompleteness. It reminds me of the quilts made by the Gee's Bend quilters - there is a similar use of repetition and pattern, but also this deep sense of intuition. There are no mistakes, only happy accidents.