Taos Pueblo I 1925 - 1926

Andrew Dasburg made this striking woodcut called Taos Pueblo I using knives and gouges to carve away the block. It's a dance between the black ink and the pale paper, a real testament to how much can be said with just two tones. I love how Dasburg simplifies the forms of the Pueblo, turning buildings into chunky, geometric shapes, and the landscape into flowing, almost abstract patterns. You can practically feel the artist’s hand at work, carving out each shape, each line. Look closely, and you'll see the ladder leaning against one of the structures, a tiny detail that adds a sense of human presence, a hint of daily life. The relationship between abstraction and representation reminds me of the early work of Marsden Hartley, another artist who found inspiration in the American landscape. It's a reminder that art is always a conversation.