Zoar Embroidered Flannel Petticoat c. 1938

Fritz Boehmer created this watercolor drawing of a petticoat, but it is also so much more! What might Boehmer have been thinking about when he made it? I love the soft folds of this simple garment, the way it seems to want to billow out, filling space. It feels like a painting in itself. The stitches of embroidery suggest movement, little dashes of vibrant color dancing around the hem like a secret language. I can imagine Boehmer hunched over his work, carefully applying each brushstroke, maybe even humming to himself, completely absorbed in the act of creation. Artists inspire each other across time. Making this picture is kind of like dancing; you can feel the rhythm of the petticoat in your body. It reminds me of the many ways we use clothing to express ourselves, but also how it can shape how we feel about ourselves and the world around us.