Boy's Waistcoat c. 1936

Syrena Swanson made this drawing of a boy's waistcoat using what looks like watercolour. The pale hues create a real sense of warmth, and the detail of the delicate embroidery gives you an insight into the process of making clothes in a time before mass production. Look closely at the front of the waistcoat, at the way the floral pattern has been mapped out with precise lines. You can almost see the artist's hand moving carefully across the page, building up the image layer by layer. The thinness of the paint allows the paper to breathe, giving the work an ethereal quality, like a memory or a dream. There's something about the way this waistcoat is presented, front and back, that reminds me of the work of Agnes Martin, with its emphasis on subtle variations in tone and texture. But unlike Martin's abstract grids, Swanson's drawing is rooted in the everyday, in the simple beauty of a well-made garment. It invites us to slow down and appreciate the small details that make life worth living.