Storm 1971

Claire Van Vliet made this artwork, Storm, probably in her studio, using printmaking techniques. I can only imagine the dance between the artist and the plate, the meticulous layering of marks, the careful calibration of light and shadow. What a mood! It really is a proper storm, but I like how Van Vliet shows us the shelter where we might feel safe and warm. It's dark, inky, mysterious but also calm, like a memory or a dream. It makes me want to pick up a needle and start scratching away at a plate myself. I think of other artists who evoke such a powerful sense of atmosphere, like Whistler with his nocturnal scenes of London. Van Vliet is clearly in conversation with this history, but she brings her own unique sensibility. Ultimately, Storm invites us to embrace the beauty and power of nature, even in its most turbulent moments.