Embroidered Bolero Jacket c. 1940

This embroidered bolero jacket was delicately rendered in watercolor by Hal Blakeley. Imagine the patient and repetitive work of embroidery, the needle tracing delicate patterns across the fabric. Blakeley has captured that sense of care and meticulous detail in the watercolor version. The ruffles and the subtle gradations of color give the jacket a soft, almost ethereal quality. I can almost feel the texture of the fabric and visualize the bolero coming alive on somebody's body. It's funny to see an image of clothing preserved like this, like a butterfly pinned to a board! It makes you think about what people choose to represent. Does the bolero represent an interest in fashion, or craft, or perhaps something else? It reminds me of the work of other textile artists who elevate everyday materials into art. It's a reminder that creativity can be found anywhere.