Untitled (The Rescue) c. 1948

Everett Glasgow made this lithograph, probably sometime in the mid-20th century, and it shows a figure in the midst of a fraught and desperate moment. I feel like I’m looking at a study for a larger painting, or maybe a drawing that is complete in itself; the artist teasing out the darks and lights. I think of Goya, wrestling with his demons in dark ink. Is the rescuer weighed down, trying to help someone, or are they just really, really tired? I sympathize with this person and the artist; you’re trying to do your best, but you’re on the verge of collapse. Look at how Glasgow uses those diagonals and the light – those are all abstract decisions that can communicate a feeling, intention, or meaning. It’s about painting a state of mind. We’re all in this ongoing conversation, adding our marks to the world.