City Street 

Coreen Mary Spellman created this print called ‘City Street’ sometime during her career as a WPA artist. Spellman’s cityscape captures an era of urban development and expansion. The Palace Theater, the Texaco station, and the throngs of people evoke a sense of both excitement and alienation. The dark skies hint at the undercurrent of anxiety felt during the interwar period. Her work is a cultural artifact which prompts us to consider the role of art in capturing the atmosphere of a particular place and time. As a woman artist working in the mid-20th century, Spellman’s involvement with the WPA provided her not only with economic stability, but also with a platform to express her unique vision. Her images of urban life provide an important perspective on the socio-economic landscape of the era, and the intersection of art, labor, and gender. ‘City Street’ invites us to reflect on the past and consider how it shapes our present.