Boom 1977

This etching called, Boom, was made by Kees Stoop. I love how every mark is so deliberate, each one contributing to the overall texture and form of the tree. I wonder what Stoop was thinking as he created this image? Did he have a specific tree in mind, or was it more of an impression, a memory of trees? You know, it reminds me of other artists who have found inspiration in nature, like the Hudson River School painters or even Van Gogh with his swirling cypresses. There’s a sense of awe and wonder in trying to capture the essence of something so alive on a static surface. Think about the way those tiny marks build up to create shadow and light, how the density changes to suggest volume and depth. It’s almost like he’s building the tree from the ground up, mark by mark. It feels so intimate, like a conversation between the artist and the tree, etched onto paper for us to witness.