Patchwork Bedspread c. 1936

Frances Lichten created this ‘Patchwork Bedspread’ which measures about a foot in either direction, using watercolor and graphite on paper. You know, I can imagine Lichten, totally absorbed, building up these floral clusters. It makes me think of an intricate dance between control and letting go. I wonder if they were thinking about the tradition of bedspreads and quilts while making this? Quilts are often collaborative, communal, and cozy, but this watercolor feels more like a deeply personal, private kind of world. There’s something so appealing about the surface quality, too, especially how the brown seeps through. It’s like seeing the ghost of a ground. The small red, yellow and blue marks bring it to life, giving the sense of a very particular kind of touch. These different textures and colours are how Lichten is communicating to us. It reminds me that artists are in a constant conversation across time, inspiring each other. Paintings are never really finished anyway; they keep evolving in our minds.