Haying in my Orchard, Woodstock, N.Y. 1934

Curator: Jane Rogers’ "Haying in my Orchard, Woodstock, N.Y.," created in 1934, gives us a glimpse into rural life through the lens of regionalism. Editor: My first thought is how wonderfully gray this print is! It's not a dreary gray, but a hopeful gray, capturing a hardworking world with real tenderness. Curator: Rogers’ focus on depicting the ordinary lives of rural Americans firmly plants her work within the Regionalist art movement. In this scene, we observe farmhands during the haying season in Woodstock. This era, heavily influenced by the Great Depression, saw a surge in art that celebrated America's heartland. Editor: Absolutely, and that is a good interpretation—the sheer physicality of this labor almost humbles the viewer. See how those monumental haystacks seem to dwarf the figures? It suggests an eternal cycle—an honest yet exhausting life on the land. This, alongside its material in pencil on print, feels so honest in what it's representing—a moment frozen. Curator: The deliberate rendering of this environment also speaks volumes about gender roles prevalent during that time. It portrays men doing agricultural work, which reinforced their status in rural settings. The scene seems natural but actually follows certain hierarchical standards of American labor history. Editor: But there is something beautifully romantic in this quiet representation of labor and landscape, that feels almost atemporal to me, an honest attempt to eternalize their environment and, by extension, to keep this specific way of life close to the heart, in their memory, or just close, so that one cannot forget the price it pays. Curator: It's fascinating to see how different aspects intersect— the artistic choices, socio-historical underpinnings, and deeply individual emotions. All in a humble work in gray tones. Editor: And a humble material that becomes elevated. Indeed, such complexity coming together is what really gives the art so much emotional depth. Curator: I couldn't agree more. It all goes to show, there’s so much to unpack from even what looks like a simple drawing of the everyday, so please return soon for another artwork in this guide.