Curtis Fledglings 1931

Wayne L. Davis made "Curtis Fledglings" with these delicate, scratchy lines, probably using etching or drypoint. It's all in monochrome, like a memory or a dream, full of airy atmosphere. I imagine Davis, hunched over his plate, carefully dragging his needle across the surface, building up these tiny marks to create the forms of the biplanes and the landscape below. What’s cool is that each line is so deliberate, yet the overall effect is so light and fleeting. There is a real feeling of the joy and adventure of early aviation. You can see the influence of other printmakers, like Whistler, in the way he uses tone and composition to create a sense of mood. Artists are always looking at each other's work, borrowing and riffing on ideas. I love how art is this ongoing conversation across time. In the end, it leaves the viewer thinking about movement, speed, and the magic of flight.