The Smugglers' Cove 1906

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made "The Smugglers' Cove" using etching, and the web of lines he creates really gets under my skin. It's like he's feeling around in the dark, trying to map this rugged coastline with his fingertips. Look closely at the cliff face on the right. See how the density of the lines builds up to create this imposing, almost menacing form? Then, those lighter, more sparse lines that suggest the water – it’s as if the whole scene is breathing. The texture feels almost geological, like you could reach out and scrape your hand along the rough surface. MacLaughlan reminds me a bit of Piranesi, who also loved to build these vast, imaginary structures with just the barest of means. It is this ongoing conversation artists have with each other. We keep returning to these spaces, looking for something new, something that resonates with our own messy, imperfect way of seeing.