Untitled (Industrial Waterfront Scene) c. 1930s

Theodore Diedrickson made this print of an industrial waterfront, and it's like stepping into a scene that's both solid and dissolving at once. I can imagine him, head down, scratching into the plate, building up those lines to create the textures of metal and water. It's all in the details, right? See how the crisscrossing lines create the sense of depth, especially in the reflections on the water. There’s something so satisfying about the way he captured these clunky machines with such a delicate touch. I'm thinking about how he transforms something so heavy and industrial into something ethereal. The smokestacks and cranes, softened by the atmosphere, almost seem to float on the surface of the water. It reminds me that as artists we’re always in conversation with one another, riffing on ideas and making something new.