Pillow Sham c. 1936

Editor: This is Edna Rex’s "Pillow Sham," created around 1936 using pencil and pastel on paper. I find the rendering quite delicate and refined; the color palette seems very gentle and soft, creating a really serene mood. What strikes you about this drawing? Curator: The formal arrangement immediately presents a compelling visual architecture. Consider how the artist uses line—vertical striations set against the textured floral motifs. Notice also how Rex manages positive and negative space, creating visual interest by juxtaposing areas of dense ornamentation and quiet reserve. Editor: Yes, I see the vertical lines giving a kind of rhythm against the very elaborate lace trim. What would you say the impact is? Curator: The impact, structurally, is the creation of a visual dialectic. The vertical lines create a sense of stability, whilst the lacework offers complexity and ornamentation. One might ask how the contrast affects our perception. The pencil work seems incredibly meticulous, creating distinct sections or strata across the pillow sham itself, separated through shifts in tone and emphasis. Do you agree? Editor: Absolutely, and that meticulous detail is really echoed in the lace! The balance between simplicity and intricacy is what makes this so interesting, now that you’ve pointed it out. I wonder how much time she put into making it! Curator: Indeed, that investment of labor in realizing the drawing becomes part of its signification. It transforms a simple study of pillow-dressing into an exercise of disciplined formalism and skillful representation, provoking discussion and, certainly, further study. Editor: Thank you, seeing how Rex manipulated these opposing qualities in this pillow sham has made me see her intentionality in a new light.