Sewing Machine, Wife and Baby 1960

John Bratby made this painting, "Sewing Machine, Wife and Baby," with thick strokes of oil paint, mostly in yellows, browns, and a few touches of brighter colors. I can almost feel him in the room, pushing the paint around, trying to capture the scene in front of him. I imagine he was trying to capture the feeling of domestic life. The sewing machine is a big presence, like another member of the family! I bet Bratby was trying to make something that felt real, immediate, and honest, just like a lot of us painters! The way the paint drips down the wall makes me think about how life itself can feel messy and uncontrolled. But within that chaos, there's a kind of beauty. It’s a reminder that artists are always talking to each other across time, picking up on ideas and pushing them further. Painting is a space where we can be unsure, where we can try things out and see what happens.