Sampler (Stitching) c. 1937

Ruth M. Barnes made this stitched sampler sometime during her lifetime, which stretched from 1855 to 1995. Look at how the repetitive marks create these chains of hexagons and zigzags, and the stars within, so evenly spaced. It gives a sense of Barnes's process, that it was slow, methodical. The texture, even in a photograph, looks soft, inviting to the touch, and the colors are warm and comforting. I'm drawn to the contrast between the angularity of the geometric patterns and the softness of the material; the stitches feel very grounded. I keep coming back to the way that zigzag line is kind of wonky, but also incredibly compelling, almost as if it’s breathing. This piece reminds me of the work of Ree Morton, who explored similar themes of domesticity, memory, and the handmade, which suggests that art-making is an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time. I find it so amazing that something so simple can evoke so much.