Drifting Shadows 1939

Asa Cheffetz made this print, Drifting Shadows, using engraving, so it’s all about these deliberate, controlled marks. I love how the stark contrast of black and white creates such a moody atmosphere. You can almost feel the stillness of the landscape. What really grabs me is the texture he achieves. Look at the fields, the way he uses tiny, precise lines to mimic the feel of grass. It’s incredible how he builds up the image, mark by mark, to create a sense of depth and form. Take the barn, for instance, and how the lines on the roof suggest the rough texture of wood, or the dense, dark mountains looming in the background. Cheffetz reminds me a bit of someone like Rockwell Kent, both having this knack for capturing the American landscape with such detail. Ultimately, it’s the balance between control and letting the process guide the image that makes this print so compelling. There's something really satisfying about that.