Wistaria at Ushijima 1953

This woodblock print, "Wistaria at Ushijima" by Toshi Yoshida, looks like it was made with gentle, light touches; like watercolor almost, but with that graphic, clear edge that you only get with wood. I can imagine Yoshida carefully carving each block, inking it just so, and then pressing it onto the paper, repeating the process again and again to build up this tangle of wisteria vines, it kind of reminds me of Cy Twombly in a strange way. The colors, soft purples, greens and grays, make me think of a misty morning, with the light just starting to peek through. The vines twist and turn, creating a sense of depth and movement. This print pulls you into a world that feels both familiar and dreamlike, much like other artists who have an eye for organicism, like Georgia O'Keefe. And you know, that's what art is all about: these artists are in constant exchange, across time, inspiring one another's creativity.