The Enchanted Mesa c. 1927

Arthur Hall made this etching called 'The Enchanted Mesa', and it's all about process, that slow looking, slow making kind of thing. I mean, look at the layers of lines that build up the mesa itself. It’s not just a picture of a mountain, it’s a record of time spent, decisions made, tiny adjustments. The whole thing feels like it emerged gradually, like a conversation between the artist and the plate. And then the water - those horizontal lines reflecting the mesa above - beautiful! It’s like Hall is saying, ‘Here’s the thing, and here’s how it echoes in the world around it.’ It reminds me a bit of some of the landscapes by Agnes Martin, same quietness, same focus on the subtle shifts in tone and texture. It's like the print is asking us to slow down, to really see what's right in front of us, and to find the magic in the everyday.