Delaware Church 1975

Stow Wengenroth made this lithograph, Delaware Church, using crayon on a stone. Look at how Wengenroth coaxes so many tones and textures out of a monochrome palette! It's a reminder that artmaking is a process of discovery, feeling your way through the material to find the image within. The surface has a velvety richness. See how he builds up layers of tiny marks, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere? The strokes around the tree are particularly lovely. Look at the way he articulates the form, the way he finds the light. It's like he's sculpting with the crayon, each mark carefully considered. Wengenroth’s work reminds me of Edward Hopper, in the way he uses light and shadow to evoke a mood of quiet contemplation. Like Hopper, he finds beauty in the everyday, inviting us to slow down and appreciate the simple things. Art isn't about answers; it's about embracing the questions, reveling in the ambiguity, and finding our own meaning in the process.