Patchwork Quilting 1939

Harvey Thoss painted this patchwork quilt in the early 20th century using watercolor and graphite on paper. The star design dominates the composition, its points alternating between muted floral patterns and plain, pale tones. I like how the star seems to both emerge from and recede into its background. I can imagine Thoss carefully layering the washes of color, balancing precision with the natural fluidity of watercolor. What was he thinking as he painted each leaf, each stitch? Did he have the intention of perfectly recreating the quilt, or was he drawn to the more abstract qualities of shape and pattern? There's a real conversation happening here between representation and abstraction, something that painters like me grapple with all the time. Thoss engages in a dialogue with folk art traditions, while simultaneously interpreting them through his unique artistic sensibility. It reminds me that artists are always in conversation with one another, building upon and responding to the ideas of those who came before.