Christmas Card from Helen and Dick Bishop 1954

This Christmas card from Helen and Dick Bishop, made by Richard Evett Bishop in 1954, brings a flurry of wings and holiday cheer. There's a humble warmth to the print; Bishop's mark-making feels both precise and spontaneous. I see art-making here as a process, a conversation between hand, tool, and surface. Looking closely, the texture comes alive. The paper has a toothiness that catches the light. The ink, likely etched into the plate, sits slightly raised on the surface. I imagine Bishop carefully wiping the plate, controlling the ink, and thinking about how the black lines will build a sense of form, a sense of flight. See how the density of lines on the underbelly of each duck gives them weight and volume. This piece speaks to the ongoing conversation between artists, harking back to masters like Audubon while sharing a sensibility with contemporary printmakers who explore line and texture. What Bishop offers is an image that embraces simplicity, reminding us of the beauty of everyday observation.