Night Voyage 1956

Ynez Johnston created this print, called Night Voyage, using a plate, ink, and paper. Look at the marks, the shapes, the dark and light, the detail. I get the sense that the artist let the image emerge, almost unconsciously. The process of creating this print feels like a personal exploration, full of trial and error, guided by intuition. What was Johnston thinking when she made this? Maybe she was thinking of other artists. There's something about the graphic quality that reminds me of art brut. The material aspect is really interesting, too. I wonder if the artist was inspired by folk art? Notice the texture, the surface, the physicality of the medium. And all those little marks and gestures. To me, these feel like emotions and intentions, layered, complex, and open to different interpretations. We can't know for sure what she was thinking. But one thing’s for sure, artists are always in conversation with each other across time, inspiring each other. We can embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty, and let the image speak to us in its own way.