Child's Coat c. 1937

This is a watercolor painting of a child’s coat, made by Dorothy Gernon, though we don’t know exactly when. There is a sketch of another coat in the background. I love the way the colors blend together, like the pigment is still wet. Gernon embraces the unpredictable nature of watercolor, allowing the colors to flow and mingle. The blue of the coat isn't just blue; it's a mix of blues, with hints of purple and even a touch of green. There is a real tension between the sharp outline of the design for the coat and the softness of the medium. The controlled lines of the design contrast with the way the color is applied. You can almost see the brushstrokes, each one a little decision that adds up to the whole. It’s a bit like looking at a fashion plate by Sonia Delaunay, another artist who understood how clothing could be art. Gernon lets the medium guide the design. In art, like in life, it’s the little details, the unexpected moments, that make all the difference.