The Parish Hall 1937

Dorrit Black made "The Parish Hall," using color linocut, and it feels like she's feeling out the edges of abstraction. The shapes are simplified, almost cartoonish, but she's still figuring out the way the light hits the buildings and the tree on the right. What I love about this print is that it doesn’t try to hide its process. The colours are laid down in blocks, with little gaps and overlaps that show the hand of the artist. Take a look at the tree, for instance. It's not just green; it's made up of layers of green, yellow, and even a bit of blue. Each layer creates depth and texture. I think of someone like Matisse, who also pushed the boundaries between representation and abstraction. Like Matisse, Black lets the colors do the talking. It feels like a visual conversation that anyone can participate in.