Historical Printed Cotton c. 1940

Arlene Perkins made this rendering of Historical Printed Cotton using watercolor and graphite, but what I love is the way she captures the spirit of craft. It's not just a copy; it's a translation. You can almost feel the weave, the tight grid that holds this fabric together. The colors, a muted palette of reds, browns, and creams, have an earthy quality. The image has a softness, a human touch. Look closely, and you can see the slight imperfections, the places where the lines waver. It’s in these nuances that the drawing comes alive, as though she is reminding us of the beauty of handmade things. Perkins’s work reminds me of Anni Albers, who took weaving to the level of high art. Like Albers, Perkins seems interested in the conversation between form and function, between the grid and the gesture. It is a reminder that art is not just about grand statements but also about the quiet beauty of everyday objects.