Ambulance on the Go 1942

William H. Johnson made "Ambulance on the Go" with paint on board, and it feels like a dance between intention and accident. Johnson's use of color here is bold and simple, like a child's drawing, but don't let that fool you. Look at how the line of ambulances recedes into the distance, each one a little wonkier than the last. The paint is applied flatly, no shading or modeling, which gives the whole scene a dreamlike quality. The texture is smooth but you can see the marks of the brush, as if Johnson wanted you to know that this was made by hand, by a person. The field in the background is striking, with its alternating yellow and brown stripes. This element reminds me of Marsden Hartley, both artists using simplified forms to express something deeper, something beyond the surface. Ultimately, art is an ongoing conversation, a dialogue between artists across time and space.