Infant's Dress and Shirt c. 1936

Ella Josephine Sterling made this undated sketch with what looks like watercolor and graphite, imagining an infant's dress and shirt. I love the way she’s laid everything out on the page, like a diagram or instructions. You can almost feel her thinking through the process of designing and making the garments. What was she hoping to create? The delicate lines and soft washes of color give a real sense of tenderness. The details of the lace, the pleats, the tiny buttons... Each element seems carefully considered, capturing a sense of care and anticipation. I think of other artists like Agnes Martin who used similar palettes, such as the soft grays and blues, as a kind of emotional language. It’s so interesting to see the inner workings of an artist’s mind and this piece feels like a direct line into Ella’s creative process. It’s a reminder that all art forms are linked and that creativity is an ongoing conversation across time.