Star and Flag Design Quilt c. 1941

Fred Hassebrock made this ‘Star and Flag Design Quilt’ with graphite, watercolor, and colored pencil. Isn’t it something? The first thing that grabs me is the intense process it must have taken to make, the methodical, almost obsessive arrangement of shapes and colors. It’s less about a perfect flag and more about the rhythm of making. Look closer, and you’ll notice how the textures of the graphite and watercolor give a tactile feel, like you could almost reach out and touch the surface. The red stripes, the blue fields of stars, and the mesmerizing central star – each element is rendered with a precision that borders on the hypnotic. Those tiny triangles of color create a dazzling effect. It reminds me a bit of some of the obsessive qualities you see in the work of someone like Alfred Jensen, or maybe Forrest Bess. Hassebrock transforms familiar symbols into something deeply personal and visually captivating. It’s a testament to how art can embrace ambiguity, inviting us to find our own meanings in its intricate details.