C. Powell Minnigerode, Terry Farnsworth, Edward Hopper, and Richard Lahey in New York City 1943

Richard Lahey made this drawing of C. Powell Minnigerode, Terry Farnsworth, Edward Hopper, and himself in New York City using ink on paper. The overall effect of the drawing is a flurry of lines, a frenzy of marks suggesting a rainy day, or maybe just a busy city street. I imagine Lahey standing on the sidewalk, whipping out his pen, trying to capture the energy of the moment. You can almost feel him racing against time to capture the figures, the buildings, the signs, all dissolving in a haze of lines. The ink is dark, thick in some places, thin in others, giving the drawing a real sense of depth and texture. Look at the way he draws those figures walking across the street, their coats flapping in the wind, or the way he renders the gallery windows, with just a few quick strokes of his pen. It reminds me a little of Hopper's own urban scenes. Lahey and Hopper, both painters, capturing the essence of city life through their own unique styles, each contributing to an ongoing conversation about what it means to be an artist in the modern world.