Quilted petticoat 1935 - 1942

Julie C. Brush made this lovely watercolour drawing of a quilted petticoat at an unknown date. The colour palette here is pretty simple, mostly different shades of brown that blend together. The artist is showing us not just the shape of the skirt, but also the quilted texture, with these cool diagonal lines that make the skirt look almost like it’s got a whole bunch of tiny, padded squares. Look at the bottom of the skirt, there's this ornate, curvy floral design. It's like the artist is really paying attention to every single detail of this skirt. You can see the textures and patterns so clearly. The artist invites us to contemplate the time and effort put into making it. It reminds me of the work of Gee’s Bend quilters, especially in the way Brush highlights the material qualities and celebrates the ingenuity of everyday design. And like those quilts, this watercolour invites us to consider art as a conversation with materials, always open to new interpretations.