Infant's Cape c. 1938

Florence Earl made this drawing of an Infant's Cape, with pencil and watercolor, sometime in the past. I love how the light bounces off it! I can imagine Earl, carefully considering the folds and the details of the embroidery. It's not just about replicating what's in front of her, but trying to understand the object. Thinking about the way the fabric drapes and falls. What’s that like as an experience? The muted colors and delicate lines give the cape a sense of softness and fragility. It reminds me of childhood and simpler times. The way the light defines it is so sensitive. It’s not a showy painting. And I think the conversation between art and craft is a constant source of inspiration. Earl is teaching us that ordinary objects can be beautiful and worthy of our attention. I feel that artists are always in dialogue, borrowing and building upon each other's ideas. When we look at art, we're entering into that conversation, and allowing ourselves to be transformed by it.