Tie and Cuff c. 1936

Lillian Causey made this drawing of a tie and cuff, we don't know when exactly, but it's rendered with colored pencil on paper. What catches my eye is the all-over quality of the lace and embroidery, the way the pattern is repeated, obsessively and carefully. The texture is really interesting here, the almost geometric regularity of the lace is punctuated with little details of organic motifs, flowers and stems that disrupt the grid-like structure. It’s as though Causey is exploring the tension between order and chaos. The light grey and brown create a muted palette, the whole drawing feels very delicate. I'm drawn to the way the bow is rendered, the way it seems to float on the page, disconnected from any body or garment. It reminds me a little bit of some of the drawings of lace by Genevieve von Petzinger, another artist interested in pattern and repetition, but Causey brings a different sense of intimacy to her work, a kind of quiet intensity. Ultimately, the work celebrates the beauty of intricate design and the handmade.