A cloverleaf on 4 light-sensitive plates 1981

Hubertine Heijermans made this print, A cloverleaf on 4 light-sensitive plates, sometime around 1981. The fresh spring greens and gentle textures feel like a hymn to simple pleasures. I can imagine Heijermans carefully preparing each plate, layer by layer, like building a garden. The cloverleaf is so delicate, with each vein lovingly rendered, and the little needle and thread, poised as if to mend a tear in the fabric of reality. What did she think about while aligning those plates, one after the other? This print feels like a conversation with artists like Agnes Martin, whose delicate lines evoke a similar sense of calm and contemplation. But Heijermans adds her own twist, a touch of whimsy, a hint of folk art charm, all wrapped up in that imperfect, handmade aesthetic. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that art-making is always about exchange and that no artist is ever working in isolation. We’re all just stitching together our own little stories, one mark at a time, hoping that someone out there will find a little luck, and a lot of beauty, in the finished piece.