Detail of Quilt c. 1937

This watercolor by Francis Law Durand is, well, a study in quilting, or rather, fabrics *for* quilting. I love the way each diamond and square is a little world. Durand is inviting us to see the possibilities in these swatches, all these different patterns and textures. It’s like Durand is saying, “Hey, look at all these different things we can piece together!” I’m imagining them thinking about all those possibilities, all those potential combinations. It feels like Durand is in conversation with all the other quilters, sharing ideas, and building on traditions. There's an art to quilting itself that is like the art of collage in painting. It asks what can be made from what is already there? It's an open-ended invitation, a generous gesture, offering a world of possibilities within the frame.