Quilt c. 1937

Magnus S. Fossum made this quilt using pencil and watercolor on paper. It's a detailed drawing, not a quilt itself, capturing the essence of quilt-making with its geometric forms and subtle color variations. Look at the warm hues of browns and reds, contrasted by cooler blues and purples. I imagine Fossum carefully planning each square, thinking about how the colors and shapes would come together. There are subtle variations in tone, and delicate hatching, especially in the neutral squares. You can almost feel the texture of the fabric. The attention to detail is striking, and the work has the feel of a technical diagram, or perhaps a kind of architectural plan. It's a reminder that artists borrow ideas and patterns from one another, engaging in a visual conversation across time. Paintings, like quilts, are made up of countless decisions, and through this process, artists help us to see and experience the world in new ways.