Quilt - Tulip Design c. 1937

Ethel Dougan made this quilt design using colored pencil on paper. The slightly haphazard arrangement of the tulips, and the imperfect symmetry of the drawing style, gives it the feeling of something handmade, one-of-a-kind. The colors are simple - reds, greens and yellows - yet the artist uses them expressively. See how the red is concentrated at the tips of the tulips, almost like drops of paint or blood, giving a sense of drama and tension to the design? The pencil marks are clearly visible, they aren't blended or smoothed out. Instead, they create a textured surface with a sense of movement. There's a lovely quality to the way the design is built up with many fine lines and layers, like a conversation happening between the hand and the paper. It reminds me a little of the work of Ree Morton, another artist who embraced the everyday and elevated it to art. This is not a definitive statement, but an open-ended exploration.