Crewel Bedspread c. 1937

This Crewel Bedspread was made by Mary Berner, who lived between 1855 and 1995. Imagine the many slow hours of handwork—the artist meticulously building this world of embroidered flora and fauna, looping and layering thread to create a scene. I’m immediately drawn to the soft palette of muted pinks, blues, and greens against the neutral ground. These colors give the piece a calming, dreamlike quality. I imagine the artist carefully choosing each color, considering how they interact with one another, and how they might evoke specific emotions or memories. Look closely, and you'll see the circle. I see something ceremonial, perhaps a dance or a ritual, the figures are a bit stiff, a bit awkward, but they have their own charm. Mary Berner's stitches are like brushstrokes. She reminds us that art can be found in the most unexpected places. Like painting, embroidery can be a form of meditation.