Coverlet (Detail) c. 1936

This woven coverlet, or rather a detail of it, was made by Barnes sometime between 1855 and 1995. The navy and cream threads, methodically interlaced, must have taken so long to create this intricate square! I can imagine the artist in their studio, hours spent at the loom with their hands moving back and forth, back and forth. Weaving requires an incredible amount of patience and precision. Look closely, and you can see where the weave is tighter, denser, where the cream peeks through in tiny, rhythmic intervals. The color palette is simple, but there is a lot of depth and texture. The navy almost vibrates against the off-white. This reminds me of Anni Albers’ weaving, which she called 'pictorial weaving'. She saw weaving as a form of art, using the grid and the crossing and knotting of threads to communicate feelings and meaning, just like painting. Barnes is in conversation with those traditions, reminding us that art is everywhere, in everything!