Petit Point Fire Screen c. 1937

This Petit Point Fire Screen, by Ernest A. Towers, Jr., uses watercolor to imagine the possibilities of domestic craft. Look at the marks, there are so many tiny strokes! I love to think about the labor involved in the original petit point work. The artist's hand here celebrates that meticulous making. The color palette is muted, almost faded, but the detail is so clear in the flowers. Those soft pinks and blues pop against the neutral background. Check out the base, it's such a great rendering of carved wood. It’s easy to imagine the textures and forms in three dimensions. It makes me think about my own process as a painter, building up layers and finding unexpected connections. This piece has a similar quality of discovery, where the artist seems to be figuring things out as they go. It reminds me a little of the work of Florine Stettheimer, another artist who embraced a playful and experimental approach to traditional subjects. For me, this piece is all about possibilities and new perspectives.