Coverlet 1937

This coverlet was made by Ralph Atkinson, who lived a long life, born in 1855 and dying in 1995. I love imagining his hands at work, repeating these patterns over and over again, probably by rote. I see these horizontal bands, and the fringe which gives it a border. It’s pretty controlled but also kind of wonky and imperfect, you know? I can see the artist trying to get it right but not really caring if he doesn't. The birds in the pattern are funny—they’re not really birds but they're kind of bird-like. They remind me of Miro's paintings, where the figures are abstracted but you still get the essence of them. I bet Ralph Atkinson would have been interested in modern art, outsider art, and folk art too. All us artists are in conversation with each other, across time, copying and inspiring each other, don’t you think?