Winter Garden 1935

Wanda Gág made this lithograph, "Winter Garden," using a greasy crayon on a stone. The plants in this image are packed in tight, almost fighting for space. You get a real sense of the artist enjoying the process of making marks, the build-up of tones and the sheer repetition of hatching. The cats looking up at the plants mirror the act of looking that Gág, and by extension, we are engaged in. If you look closely at the window frame, you can see how the light streams through the glass, illuminating the plants and creating a sense of depth. The way the artist describes the furry texture of the cats through the layering of small, precise strokes is really lovely. It's as if she wants us to feel the softness of their fur. Gág's work reminds me a little of Paula Modersohn-Becker, who also used everyday scenes to explore the intimate connection between the artist and her subjects. Art’s all about seeing, feeling, and then making, right?