Strandmoeras 1883 - 1931

This woodcut, made by Johannes Frederik Engelbert ten Klooster, probably involved a whole lot of careful carving and considered inking. The artist must have felt like they were diving deep into the thick of it – the black ink creating a sense of a dense forest, teeming with all kinds of plant life! You know, it makes me think about how much time and attention went into each individual mark. Imagine all the tiny cuts made to build up such a rich world, like each little slice of the tool is a breath held in anticipation. I see the influence of other printmakers in this image. But there’s something else there, too – a personal, almost obsessive, attention to detail that gives the print a really unique feel. The plants start to feel as though they have taken over. It’s a beautiful, slightly unsettling vision. This piece reminds me that art-making is a constant conversation.