The Balsam Tree c. 1922

Pamela Bianco created “The Balsam Tree” as an etching on a zinc plate. I can only imagine the work that went into creating this image, with all its tiny dots and details. I picture Bianco bent over the plate, applying each mark with focused concentration. The texture is so meticulous, you can almost feel the rough bark of the tree and the smooth surfaces of the rocks. Just think about the number of marks she had to make. It's intense. The entire composition feels grounded, solid. The leaves feel heavy as if they are weighted down with the coming rain. She's capturing a specific moment and the sense of being in a particular place. We can all relate to that, right? And that’s the beauty of art—artists like Bianco show us ways of seeing and feeling, expanding our sense of what’s possible and connecting us through time.