Diagonal Hollyhocks 2003

John Walker made this print called Diagonal Hollyhocks at some point, using techniques of lithography, that give it a kind of immediacy. He lays down the image, but it's like a recorded immediacy. I’m interested in how the hollyhocks are structured on this really dark background. Walker makes use of transparency and opacity within the image, creating a world of depth. Look at the way he’s rendered the leaves, edges defined with color that bleeds into the space around them. There’s a tension between precision and chance, control and accident. It makes me wonder about his decision-making process. Did he build up the layers gradually, or did he go for it in one fell swoop? You can also see where he's used a soft cloth on the stone, like a painter uses a rag on canvas. This piece reminds me of Joan Mitchell's floral paintings, especially in the way Walker captures the essence of the flowers without getting too bogged down in realism. Both artists share a love for bold color and expressive mark-making. Ultimately, art is a conversation, a continuous exchange of ideas across time and space, and it's up to us to listen.