Marsh Creek c. 1914

Arthur Wesley Dow made this woodcut, Marsh Creek, and it's a testament to how the simplest means can create the most serene of images. The gentle hues and soft textures speak volumes about Dow’s understanding of color and composition, and artmaking as a process. Take a close look at that blue, it's not just blue, it's got this sort of speckled, almost grainy texture. You can feel the physical act of applying the ink to the block and then transferring it to the paper. The yellow sun is this small, yet powerful focal point, radiating warmth into the cooler tones of the marsh. See how the horizon line isn't perfectly straight? It gives the landscape a sense of organic, imperfect beauty. Dow's work reminds me a bit of the landscapes of Agnes Martin, in its quiet, meditative quality. Art is not just about representing the world but also about feeling it, and Dow invites us to do just that.