Fun "For Free" c. 1940

Helen Louise Johann made this linocut, “Fun “For Free””, with black ink on paper. Imagine her carving away at that linoleum block, the force of the gouge and the pressure of the blade, scraping out the negative space to reveal a scene of children at play. There’s a kid lounging in the tree, while others stand by the water’s edge—fishing, maybe? What was Johann thinking when she decided on this composition, this slice of life? The thick and thin lines create depth and shadow, almost like a dense forest pressing in on the scene. The stark black and white emphasizes the contrast between light and dark, highlighting the playful energy of the children against the stillness of the natural world. You know, seeing work like this makes me think about all the artists who came before us, all that knowledge passed down, fueling our creativity. It's a continuous dialogue through time, each of us adding our own little piece to the conversation.