Bedspread c. 1936

Mary Berner created this design for a bedspread with pencil and watercolor. You know, looking at these patterns, I can imagine her sitting, maybe in the evening, thinking about how to bring the garden inside. It's like she's collecting specimens, pinning them down with her brush. The pink flower at the top, it almost vibrates with its tiny repeated marks. And below it, the thistle— the fuzziness makes me want to touch it, even though I know it would prick me. The colours are so delicately laid down, each a tiny gesture, carefully considered. I'm really taken with the way she’s captured the essence of each plant, not just what it looks like, but how it feels to be near it. It's like a conversation with nature, translated through her hand.