Jan Poortenaar met etsplaat en tampon c. 1930 - 1950

This photograph captures Jan Poortenaar with his etching plate and tampon. You can see Poortenaar carefully inking his plate, his brow furrowed in concentration; he's so focused on the task at hand. The image itself is a study in process. It’s about the intimate relationship between the artist and their tools, the way the hand guides the materials. I love the contrast of textures here – the smooth metal of the plate against the rough, absorbent tampon he uses to dab the ink. It reminds me of my own studio, the controlled chaos of creation, the endless possibilities that emerge from a simple act. It’s this quiet, meditative dance that connects all of us artists across time, each of us searching for that perfect mark.