Printed Cotton c. 1937

This printed cotton swatch, made by Julie C. Brush, is a playful repeat pattern. The colors are muted, almost as if they’ve faded over time, and that gives the whole thing a kind of ghostly feel. I’m really drawn to the way the shapes stack up, how the soft pink background peeks through the repeated motifs. The design has these dark brown, almost fuzzy circles, surrounded by what looks like stylized red petals or maybe even flames. The texture isn’t actually there, but it’s implied. It makes you want to reach out and touch it. It makes me think of Anni Albers and her experiments with weaving, pushing the boundaries between craft and high art. Like this piece, Albers' work isn't just about decoration, it's a conversation, an exploration of form and function. Art doesn’t offer easy answers. Instead, it’s a back-and-forth, a constant exchange of ideas that unfolds over time.