Evening in Pennsylvania c. 1941

Louise Arnstein Freedman made this graphic print called Evening in Pennsylvania, and I'm wondering what kind of evening it really was, and when? The artist lays out some heavy forms; industry on one side, and religion on the other. A road snakes between them, with the scattered, humble houses of workers clinging to the slopes. I wonder if Freedman knew those buildings, and the people living there? I can imagine her, outside somewhere, maybe on a hill looking down and sketching as the light fades and the streetlamp comes on, but who knows? It’s a great example of how the artist's hand helps us grasp the scene. Look at how the colors are layered, and how the artist is creating a site of inquiry. I can imagine other artists making this kind of social-realist print, like Jacob Lawrence or Elizabeth Catlett, all inspiring one another to try and capture the feeling of a place and time. And that’s what art does best.