Plate 10: From the Portfolio "Folk Art of Rural Pennsylvania" c. 1939

This plate, from a portfolio of Pennsylvania folk art, probably made around the mid-20th century, presents three rather stately birds. The artist works with clear, flat shapes and a limited palette, embracing the charm of direct and simplified forms. This approach to artmaking acknowledges that art is as much about process as about the final image. I find myself drawn to the bottom bird. The use of alternating red and green stripes creates a sense of movement, almost like the bird is vibrating with energy. The textures are smooth, and the paint is applied thinly, which gives a clean, graphic feel. It’s easy to imagine the artist carefully carving the original woodblock, each cut contributing to the overall design. Looking at these birds, I’m reminded of the work of Charley Harper, another artist who distilled the natural world into its most essential forms. But here, there's an added layer of cultural history. This piece invites us to appreciate the beauty of art, recognizing how it connects us to past traditions and ongoing dialogues in art history.