Applique & Patchwork Coverlet 1935 - 1942

This is George Loughridge's 'Applique & Patchwork Coverlet', a drawing made in the late 19th or early 20th century, and right away I'm drawn into the geometry, the radiating star at the center, like a kaleidoscope made of fabric. The texture here is all implied, isn't it? You want to reach out and touch the smooth paper, yet your mind is filling in the blanks, imagining the soft, quilted surface of the real thing. I love how Loughridge uses these vibrant watercolors to mimic the stitches and seams, creating a visual feast that's both orderly and kind of wild. The border is especially charming, these little floral motifs swirling around, giving the whole piece a sense of folksy warmth. There's this one spot, near the top left, where the colors bleed together just a bit. It reminds you that art is as much about happy accidents, and that the artist wasn't afraid to let the materials do their thing. It makes me think of the Gee's Bend quilters, who turned necessity into pure poetry with their own bold, improvisational designs. It's all connected, this conversation across time, and in art there's room for everyone to speak.