Coverlet (Detail of Bluebird) c. 1941

This is ‘Coverlet (Detail of Bluebird)’ by Adolph Opstad. It’s undated, but we know Opstad lived a long life, 1855 to 1995, and the piece is made from fabric with embroidery. Embroidery is such a slow, deliberate medium. You’re building up an image stitch by stitch, a real contrast to painting where you can be bold and fast. Here, the bluebird is the center of attention, so blue, perched right above its nest. I like the butterfly, how it’s kind of floating, as if it was cut out and placed there. The edges of the coverlet, those blues and tans, remind me of the borders in old samplers, but here they’re uneven, a little wonky, which gives it such a great feel, very folksy and homemade. The satin-stitch border has a sheen, but also some irregularities that suggest a personal touch. It's less about perfection and more about expression. I love thinking about artists like Forrest Bess when I see work like this. I wonder if he knew about Bess? Either way, it's all part of a wonderful, ongoing conversation.