Quaker Dress c. 1936

Roberta Spicer made this drawing of a Quaker Dress on paper, and while we don’t know exactly when, we can imagine her process. It’s almost like she was sketching an idea, letting the image emerge through subtle lines and shading, like thinking on paper. The dress itself is rendered in soft grays, achieved through delicate pencil work. Look closely, and you can see the layers of graphite building up, creating depth and form. The fabric seems to drape and fold, all suggested through the artist’s sensitive touch. Then, to the right, she lightly sketches the back, almost like a ghostly echo or a memory. It’s very different to the finished front view. This piece reminds me a bit of Agnes Martin's work, in the way that they both explore quietness, and precision with the simplest of means. It's this kind of ongoing dialogue through art that interests me. There's something really beautiful in that exchange, don't you think?