Softly, Softly c. 1951

Editor: This is "Softly, Softly," a linocut print made around 1951 by Franklin Chenault Watkins. I’m really drawn to its dreamlike quality – these figures floating in the air with almost stylized wings. The contrast between black and white gives it a very stark and symbolic feel. What do you see in this piece? Curator: You've hit on something key: it feels like a captured dream, doesn't it? Watkins, ever the enigmatic soul, channels something deeply personal here. Notice how the sharp linework isn't just a technique, it's an emotional register, scratching at the surface of serenity. Are they flying, or are they falling, do you think? It feels a bit melancholic and anxious to me...almost like a visual poem, raw and untamed. Editor: That’s interesting – I hadn’t thought about falling. I guess the title "Softly, Softly" could hint at either a gentle descent or a hushed warning. Curator: Exactly! And look at the way the figures almost merge with the landscape – that blurring of boundaries is vintage Watkins. Is he talking about earthly woes or spiritual ascension, hmmm? It might be both. And how clever of Watkins to ground our dream sequence with those rather emphatically placed stars on the upper-right and the bottom-left: are those markers for some other visual narrative? Is the artist laying stepping stones for himself to reach higher? Food for thought. Editor: That's so interesting! It completely changes how I see the piece. I was so focused on the figures that I missed the bigger picture. Curator: Isn't that the delight of art though? Watkins whispers; it’s up to us to tune our ears, our very souls, to listen to the silences. Now I am seeing that there is also one figure higher and to the right that seems shrouded. Like there is something, in his vision that cannot be seen or touched...yet! Editor: This has definitely made me appreciate the work a lot more. I am going to bring my camera and zoom in on that star as a reminder! Thanks for your insights.