Traffic Face c. 1970

Dorothy Stratton made this etching, Traffic Face, probably mid-century. The artist has used line in so many ways; it’s directional, structural, and decorative, all at once. The fun is in trying to discern the face from the traffic! Looking closely, you can see that the image is built up from small hatched lines, each one bitten into the metal plate with acid, and then printed in ink onto the paper. See how the lines curve, bend, and bunch together to suggest volume and depth, creating a sense of movement and maybe even a little bit of chaos, like traffic itself? I like the little burst of lines at the bottom, like a hand reaching out. Stratton seems to be in conversation with the Cubists here, maybe someone like Picasso or Braque. But she’s doing her own thing, simplifying the forms and focusing on the graphic qualities of the medium. It’s a reminder that art isn’t about copying, but about finding your own voice in the mix.