St. Séverin, Paris 1902

This is Donald Shaw MacLaughlan's "St. Séverin, Paris," and it's an etching, so made by drawing into a waxy ground on a metal plate, then dipping the plate in acid. Think about MacLaughlan, hunched over his plate, scratching lines, lines, lines. I sympathize, I know the feeling. It's so physical, and you have to commit. It’s so unforgiving, but that's also the beauty of it. It can be a real conversation between hand, eye, and subject. The lines are so dense and close together, but somehow he captures the light filtering through the gothic architecture. I'm drawn to the way the crisp lines make the building seem both monumental and delicate. It reminds me of Piranesi, but with a softer touch. It's a reminder that artists are always in dialogue, responding to and building upon what came before. What a wonderful thing, this conversation across time.