Pillow Top Insert 1940

Albert Ryder made this ‘Pillow Top Insert’ from cut and sewn fabric. I wonder how many of these he made? It’s framed like a painting but it’s fabric, which gives it such a different feel. It's naive but sweet. I like the material sensibility, how the colors are muted and earthy. You know, I’ve often thought about quilts as paintings. People put so much time and care into them. The man in the middle has his hand on his hip; he's very sure of himself. I wonder what Ryder was thinking when he was making this? Was he remembering someone? It makes me want to experiment with fabrics more. Maybe I'll go home and start cutting up some old shirts... It’s like all of us artists are just in one big studio together, riffing off each other's ideas across time, isn't it? Trying new things and seeing what sticks.