Printed Textile c. 1938

This "Printed Textile" was made by Ralph M. Lewis, and it feels like a very personal exploration of pattern and color. It's made from small squares, each one filled with tiny, repetitive marks. Looking at the surface, you can see the hand of the artist in every square. The colors - mostly reds and teals - are earthy, but the way they shift and change within each little block gives the whole thing a kind of vibrant energy. It reminds me of how we build up paintings layer by layer, decision by decision. Notice how each square isn't just a flat color, it has variations, like tiny worlds contained in a grid. I keep thinking about what it means to make something like this, so methodical yet so full of subtle differences. The process of creation becomes really visible, and it blurs the line between textile design and fine art. Like the work of Anni Albers, it makes you question the value of these materials, and makes you think about how anyone can make the everyday extraordinary.