Desert Rain c. 1935

Theo Ballou White made this lithograph called 'Desert Rain,' and right away, I'm imagining the quiet focus it must have taken. The artist is building this scene with layers and layers of tiny marks, and the cumulative effect is quite something. I picture White in the studio, head bent to the task, translating the immensity of a desert landscape and storm into something so intimate. There’s a real sense of reverence in the way the artist coaxes so much mood from just black and white. Look at the way those strokes become rain, connecting earth and sky. It's like White is saying that even in the harshest conditions, there's connection and flow. It's the work of a fellow traveler, someone who understands that art is just another way of listening to the world.