Plate - "Baltimore and Ohio Railroad" c. 1936

This monochromatic plate titled "Baltimore and Ohio Railroad" was made by Helmut Hiatt. You know, it's got this cool central image that shows a train chugging along, and this border with seashells and foliage that feels both decorative and a little bit wild. I'm thinking about Hiatt making this thing, maybe even feeling a bit like they're on a train themselves, chugging along, mixing things up: industry meeting nature, or something. I wonder how literally to take the image, like were the shells and foliage inspired by a place where trains passed near the sea? It's cool when you can feel the artist's hand and mind moving together. It makes me think about how artists are always riffing off each other, across time and space, through different materials and techniques. Painting, like pottery, is another form of conversation that doesn't need words.