Skating 1941

This print, Skating, was made by Elizabeth Olds, we don't know exactly when, but what I notice right away is how joyfully imperfect it is! Look at how the marks feel so process-oriented; like Olds knew that artmaking is a journey, not just a destination. The texture is so interesting, the cool colored ice and sky feel like they have been scrubbed on, with light and dark layers, letting the surface of the paper peek through to give it a bit of tooth. But then the figures in their colorful hats and outfits are rendered with such quick but sure lines. My eye is drawn to the couple in the center, the way they are holding hands as they glide or stumble, you can feel the joy in the movement! It reminds me of some of the early 20th-century social realist painters, artists like Isabel Bishop, who captured everyday life with a similar sense of energy and compassion. It's not about perfection; it's about capturing a moment, an idea, a feeling!