Glow Bugs 1946

Howard Schleeter made this etching called ‘Glow Bugs’ in 1948, and, like a lot of printmaking, it’s all about process, isn’t it? The way Schleeter’s used line, it’s not just descriptive, it’s like the lines themselves are buzzing with energy. Take the glow bugs themselves – they're not just drawn, they're constructed from these angular, almost architectural lines. It reminds me that artmaking is a conversation, and Schleeter seems to be in dialogue with both nature and the abstract language of his time. It’s all stark contrasts, isn’t it? The crisp white lines carved into the deep black ground. The texture has real depth. There's a particular area, around the bugs’ wings, where the lines are so dense, so layered, they create this vibrating effect. It's like the air itself is charged with electricity. You could almost see Kandinsky doing something like this, but with colour of course! In the end, art is an invitation, not a declaration.