Patchwork Quilt c. 1936

Ellen Duncan made this Patchwork Quilt, and this image of it, using watercolour. The repeated floral and geometric shapes remind me of the way artists build up paintings through layers of marks. The real magic here is in the surface. Duncan’s precise, repetitive marks create a soft, inviting texture with the watercolour that emulates the original textile. Look closely at the way she renders the dotted white background, for example. Each of these tiny dots is like a little world unto itself, and they all add up to something much bigger. Duncan’s Patchwork Quilt drawing reminds me a little of the work of Ree Morton, who also worked with a restricted colour palette and simple, repetitive forms, which like this example, accumulate into something complex, resonant, and kind of beautiful. Like this drawing, art is an ongoing conversation, and an exchange of ideas across time. Enjoy the show!