Plate 5 1940 - 1943

Louie H. Ewing made this painted image of a blanket, Plate 5, and the way he's put down these colors feels just like a process of layering and seeing, kind of like weaving, but with paint. There's a real material quality to it, even though it's just an image. The red stripes pop against the creamy white, and you can almost feel the texture of the woven threads. Some of the lines look a little wobbly, which is great – it reminds you that there's a human hand behind it all, not a machine. Look at that thicker red band in the middle; it’s like a burst of energy, throwing the whole thing off balance in a good way. It’s not just a pattern; it’s a feeling. It reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin's grids, but with more warmth and personality. Both artists are interested in simple structures, but Ewing brings a kind of folk-art sensibility that makes you want to wrap yourself up in it. For me, this piece embraces the kind of happy ambiguity that makes art so endlessly interesting.