Bombers c. 1940s

Samuel Donovan Swann made this print, Bombers, and while we don't have the exact date, it feels mid-century, all about process. It feels very intuitive, much like my own paintings. Look closely, and you'll notice the paper isn't perfectly white. Instead, the artist has chosen a slightly off-white tone, a choice that instantly adds warmth and depth to the image. The surface has texture. It catches the light in ways that a smooth sheet wouldn't. This effect enhances the sense of atmosphere. The details in the planes above are incredible, they fade gently into the background. It reminds me a bit of Whistler, who saw art as this ongoing conversation. Swann plays with how we see, inviting us to find our meaning, our own questions, in his work.