Carpet Bag 1935 - 1942

Clementine Fossek’s Carpet Bag is rendered in watercolor and graphite. It reminds me of a kind of abstracted landscape painting, like looking at a Rothko, or even the stripes of a Bridget Riley, if they got cozy. Imagine Fossek carefully layering the washes of color, how the lines bleed and blend, creating these vertical bands of blues and reds, golds, and greens, evoking a sense of warmth and texture. It's all quite lively and makes me wonder, what was she thinking as she painted each stripe, each little twig motif? Looking closely, I can see how the artist’s hand guides the brush, making each mark with intention, maybe even a little prayer in each stroke. Think of artists like Agnes Martin, who also explored the spiritual dimensions of the grid. There’s a connection here, I feel. I imagine these artists in an ongoing conversation across time, sharing a language of line, color, and form, each inspiring the other.