Waistcoat c. 1936

Marie Mitchell’s waistcoat is a pencil and watercolor rendering of a waistcoat – makes sense so far, right? It looks like it was carefully crafted, each line thoughtfully placed to create a sense of form and texture. I’m trying to imagine being Mitchell, sitting with her pencils, and trying to get the proportions just so, and the subtle details that make a waistcoat a waistcoat! The back-view diagram she included is such a treat - it’s like she’s saying “here’s how it all works, here's the design laid bare.” The tiny floral motifs have a naive, folksy quality. It reminds me of the work of textile artists like Judith Scott, who transformed ordinary materials into extraordinary works of art. Mitchell’s waistcoat might seem simple, but it’s also part of this long conversation among artists and makers, each building on the ideas of those who came before. Thinking about this makes me want to dig out my art supplies, take something from my wardrobe, and get to work myself!