Snow at the Sacred Bridge in Nikkō 1930

Hasui Kawase made this print of the Sacred Bridge, probably with woodblocks, and definitely with a lot of snow. I can imagine the artist thinking about the weather, what a day it was, and the physical act of layering ink to make the image. Hasui's obviously not afraid to be representational. There's something really beautiful in the way he captures the falling snow. It gives a sense of place and almost makes you feel the cold. He's thinking about what he sees and how it feels, and then he’s transmitting that through his hands into a new form. That red bridge – pow! – it pops, doesn't it? It's like a bold stroke against all the white and grey. The woodblock’s a physical thing, and you can feel the pressure and the care that went into each layer. Like the way the blue of the river is almost glowing against the snow. I feel a connection to other artists through time, through him. Each adding something to the conversation, each inspired by those who came before. Painting and printmaking like this is a language that never gets old. It's all about seeing, feeling, and making marks. It's about uncertainty, and that’s okay. It’s more than okay, it's exciting.