Confusion in City c. 1938

John Stenvall made this compelling linocut print, "Confusion in City," using ink on paper. Look at how the stark black ink defines every shape, from the menacing clouds overhead to the tiny figures bustling below. I can imagine Stenvall carefully carving away at the linoleum, each cut a decisive move in the process of image making. It’s a dance between control and accident, where the material pushes back, creating unexpected textures and patterns. What’s so striking is how the artist conveys the energy of urban life with such a limited palette. The angular buildings seem to push up against the sky, and the bridge creates a sense of dizzying height. In fact, it makes me think about how chaos can be a beautiful thing! The artist has captured the city as this big, busy, sometimes overwhelming place. It reminds me that as artists we're always in conversation, borrowing and riffing off of each other's ideas. Painting and printmaking, like all art, is about embracing uncertainty and letting the work take you where it needs to go.