One Clear Day 1938

William Elijah Smith made this print called One Clear Day using woodcut, and it's dated 1938. I love the stark contrast, how the white of the paper is just as important as the black ink. It makes you think about what's there and what's not. The grainy texture of the print gives it a real, almost tangible feel. You can almost feel the artist carving into the wood. Check out the figure in the center, his back to us, looking out the window. The sharp, deliberate cuts that describe the folds of his shirt and the shape of his hat. It's like the artist is inviting us to look at the world through his eyes. This feels like a nod to artists like Jacob Lawrence, who also used bold forms to capture everyday life, to make us think about our place in the world. It's not just a picture, it's an experience.