Adirondacks 1919

James N. Rosenberg made this print of the Adirondacks, probably in his studio, using a monochrome palette. I can imagine him hunched over the plate, mark-making the soft ground with a sharp tool to create a blurred and misty scene. The image comes into being as he goes, emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with him, I know what it's like: What was he thinking when he made it? Maybe about form, but maybe about memory or feeling? Or maybe about a conversation he once had with another artist about representing space? The textures create these areas of light and dark, giving the impression of volume and depth. See those strokes clustered on the right? They communicate feeling, intention, and meaning. The artist uses a specific gesture to create a sense of depth and atmosphere in this landscape. Artists are in an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity. Painting is a form of embodied expression which embraces ambiguity and uncertainty. It allows for multiple interpretations.