Applique Crib Coverlet c. 1936

This Applique Crib Coverlet was drawn by Marian Curtis Foster, and what strikes me is how she has painstakingly imagined a textile, stitch by stitch. You can almost feel the texture of the fabric and the rhythmic process of its creation. I imagine Marian deeply engaged in the making of this design. What was she thinking about as she conceived it? Perhaps the warmth and comfort it would bring, or the love stitched into every seam. The repeated motifs – little baskets – remind me of Agnes Martin’s grids. I can imagine Marian being soothed by the meditative nature of making. Each gesture contributes to the overall harmony. The bursts of the red star shape disrupt the regularity and adds depth to the composition, like a visual heartbeat. This piece shows how seemingly simple forms carry profound emotional and symbolic weight. Marian is participating in a long tradition of artists using textiles to express ideas, just like the quilters of Gee’s Bend. It makes me wonder, how can something so functional also be so expressive?