Black Range Waltz c. 1939 - 1940

Harold Edward West made this dynamic wood engraving, "Black Range Waltz," sometime in the first half of the twentieth century, and the scene pulses with life. Imagine West, hunkered over a block of wood, carving away at the surface, each gouge and line meticulously placed to capture the spirit of a lively dance. I'm struck by the composition, how it teeters between chaos and control. The figures are a mass of activity, yet there's a rhythm to the chaos, like a visual echo of the waltz itself. Look at the texture: the way West uses different marks to create light and shadow, giving depth to the scene. I imagine him thinking about the flow of the figures across the space, trying to convey the energy of the room. This print reminds me that art isn't just about what we see, but how we feel, and how artists are always having a conversation across time, inspiring each other. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most beautiful things come from embracing uncertainty.