Shaker Man's Collar c. 1936

Elizabeth Moutal made this watercolor painting, Shaker Man's Collar, on paper with delicate washes of pale purples and creams, and an intriguing, bright blue button. I like to imagine her studying this object, noticing the way the light catches on the smooth fabric, and carefully rendering its form. What might she have been thinking about as she painted? The history of the Shakers, their commitment to simplicity and utility, or perhaps the person who wore this collar, their labor, their life? See the way she's built up the color in layers? It's so quiet and meditative. The thin paint allows the texture of the paper to show through, creating a gentle, almost ethereal quality. It reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin, in its subtle gradations of tone. Artists are always in conversation with each other, across time and space, inspired by what has come before, and finding their own unique ways of seeing and expressing the world. And it’s through these acts of looking, making, and sharing that new ideas emerge, sparking more creativity.