Southend Pier c. 1920s - 1930s

Charles William Taylor made this print, Southend Pier, and what’s cool is how he used the stark contrast of black and white to carve out the scene. It's all about process, isn't it? How you start with something and then dig in, literally, to reveal the image. Look at the wood grain he’s created on the pier’s planks. Each line is so deliberate, giving the wood this tactile quality, you can almost feel the rough texture under your feet. The way he uses these lines to create depth, pulling you into the picture toward that lone figure gazing out to sea, it makes you wonder what they're thinking. Taylor's choice of subject reminds me of the Ashcan School artists in the States. They found beauty in the everyday, the gritty scenes most people overlooked. It’s like Taylor is saying, "Hey, look at this ordinary moment, there's something really beautiful here." And isn't that what art is all about? Showing us new ways to see.