Printed Cottons from Quilt c. 1939

Editor: This is "Printed Cottons from Quilt," dating back to about 1939 by Albert Levone, rendered in textile and watercolour on paper. It strikes me as remarkably subdued for fabric design, almost like looking at faded memories. What’s your initial take? Curator: Faded memories – I love that. Yes, there’s a gentle quality to these patterns, a certain… restraint. Almost whispers of potential explosions of colour. It feels very personal. I wonder what stories these cottons would tell if they could speak. What sort of quilt were they destined for, and who would be wrapped up in its embrace? There is this grounding feeling. Don’t you agree? Editor: That's an interesting point about their history; I hadn't considered their place on the quilt. It's curious how the watercolor evokes a cozy sensation that a graphic image couldn’t replicate. Why watercolour, and why these patterns? Curator: Watercolour gives them an ethereal quality, a dreamlike feel that’s far removed from the harsh realities of the late ‘30s. These patterns? A longing for nature, for beauty, perhaps even escape during uncertain times. There is a juxtaposition here! See how it merges escapism with everyday domestic life? That braided cord feels more… deliberate in its pattern. Editor: I’m now picturing them stitched into something bigger than themselves. Each one contributing a different fragment of hope or history. It's amazing to see an underlying pattern that tells a unique story about time and place. Curator: Exactly! And that, my friend, is where the magic of art truly resides. Each element, each color and carefully illustrated plant design sings to life with such passion. I can feel their dedication seeping off the paper and that inspires my heart. Editor: Agreed. I’ll never look at a quilt the same way again.