Petit Point Fire Screen c. 1937

Ernest A. Towers Jr.’s ‘Petit Point Fire Screen’ isn’t a painting, but you can still get lost in it! It’s a meticulous field of tiny stitches, each one like a brushstroke, building up these delicate roses, forget-me-nots, and greenery against a muted background. Imagine Towers hunched over this thing, needle in hand, building up these forms stitch by stitch. It’s not about grand gestures, it's about careful control and precision. Look closely, and you'll see how Towers uses color. The pinks and reds of the roses are soft and inviting, and the blues add a little pop. It’s like a garden frozen in time, all these blooms preserved in thread. I wonder if Towers was thinking of other floral still lifes as he worked on this piece? Maybe he was even influenced by his contemporaries? Whatever his inspiration, he made something pretty unique. Ultimately, what Towers has created feels like a testament to the power of slow, deliberate work, and that’s something I can really get behind.