Bedspread 1935 - 1942

Phyllis Dorr made this bedspread from fabric and thread, and it's pretty dreamy. What strikes me first is the commitment to the handmade, stitch by stitch, building up these sinuous floral forms. Embroidery is a slow, deliberate process; you can feel the artist’s hand in the variations of the stitch work, and the little imperfections are so charming. I love how the blues vary, a soft pale against a deep indigo; the textures are all in the layering. Look at the large blossom on the right side – the way the petals are defined with that delicate outline of stitches, it's like a drawing in thread. This piece feels both folksy and very sophisticated. This reminds me a little of the work of Ree Morton, particularly in her embrace of craft materials and in the way she elevated traditionally ‘feminine’ forms of making. Ultimately, like all good art, this bedspread encourages us to slow down, to see the world a little differently, and to appreciate the beauty in the everyday.