Flat Shapes 1952

Clyde Wood made this print, Flat Shapes, with colour linocut. It's a dance of soft, earthy tones like pale pinks, greens, and blues, all speckled together, forming these floating amoeba-like shapes. I can imagine Wood in the studio, carefully carving away at the linoleum, maybe listening to some cool jazz. Each mark is a decision, a conversation between the artist and the material. You know, sometimes I think painting is like having a dialogue with yourself. It’s a back and forth, a push and pull. Look how the larger shapes dominate the space while a tear-drop wedge punctuates the composition, anchoring it. Then, at the bottom, is what seems to be a little flower. It's so gentle and quiet. This reminds me a little of Miro and a little of Kandinsky. Wood’s work feels like it’s part of this big conversation that painters have been having for centuries. It's like we’re all just riffing off each other, trying to make sense of the world, one shape at a time.