Coat and Trousers c. 1937

Creighton Kay-Scott made this watercolour called "Coat and Trousers", but we don't know when, exactly. What strikes me is the simplicity and clarity of the lines. It’s as if the artwork is a kind of blueprint, a proposal for something yet to be made. Look closely and you'll see the details in the stitching, the gentle shading that gives shape to the fabric. The texture is almost palpable, and the way the light catches the folds and creases gives the garments a kind of quiet dignity. Notice that the artist has chosen to show not just the front view, but the back and a pair of trousers too, like different stages in the making process. It reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's drawings, in the way that simple, repetitive marks can create something unexpectedly moving. I wonder what other garments Kay-Scott might have designed, and what stories they might tell. In any case, this picture feels like the start of a conversation, an invitation to imagine what could be.