A Vermont Village 1923

Childe Hassam made this etching, A Vermont Village, with ink on paper. I really like how he used a million little lines to create the whole scene. It’s like he's thinking out loud with marks, letting the process guide him. If you look closely, you can see how the ink is almost dry in some places, creating a scratchy texture. In the sky, he uses these long, diagonal lines to suggest rain, or maybe just a heavy, grey sky. There’s this wonderful contrast between the detailed foreground and the hazy background, which makes the village feel both real and dreamlike. I am always fascinated by the way marks can create depth. Hassam reminds me of Whistler; the way he captures a scene with such simple means is amazing. Both artists embrace ambiguity, allowing the viewer to fill in the gaps. It's this openness that makes art so engaging.