Factory c. 1936

John P. Heins made this linocut, “Factory,” and it’s a world of black and white, a real symphony in contrast. I love how the graphic quality of the linocut tells a story of industry meeting nature. The factory looms with its tall chimney, but there’s also a figure lying in the grass, almost as if he’s daydreaming about a life beyond the factory walls. I can feel the push and pull between the mechanical and the organic, the smoke and the sun rays, the sharp edges of the buildings and the soft curves of the hills. Heins is playing with textures here, each line carefully placed, each shape deliberately carved out. The factory feels dense and imposing, while the sky seems to open up, almost like a release. I bet other printmakers like Rockwell Kent were an inspiration. It's like John P. Heins is reminding us that even in the most industrialized settings, nature and the human spirit find a way to breathe.