Fishermen: Sea Isle City 1935 - 1945

Vincent LaBadessa made this print, "Fishermen: Sea Isle City," using a process that looks like it involved both etching and aquatint. The tones are achieved through tiny, closely placed dots, which create a grainy, almost photographic feel. The density of these marks varies to suggest light and shadow, giving the image depth. Look closely at the boats in the foreground. See how the artist varies the marks to describe the curve of the hull and the texture of the wood. For me, this piece is all about the process of building an image through careful, repetitive mark-making. It reminds me of the prints of someone like Whistler, where mood and atmosphere are created through subtle tonal variations. The simple scene and everyday subject matter share something with the American Scene painters like Edward Hopper, but with a folksier feel. Ultimately, though, LaBadessa makes something entirely his own. The print invites us to appreciate the beauty in the ordinary and the power of printmaking as an art form.