From the Canyon's Rim c. 1940

Harold Lukens Doolittle made this print, "From the Canyon's Rim," and the way he's worked with the plate creates this incredible depth, almost like you could step right into the scene. The texture! It's not just a flat image, you know? Look closely and you’ll notice how the ink catches on the paper, giving the mountains in the background this hazy, almost dreamlike quality. The trees in the foreground are solid and present, in comparison, there is a real contrast. Doolittle's got this amazing control over the tones, shifting from light to dark with such subtlety. It reminds me of Whistler, maybe, in its quiet, contemplative mood. But Doolittle’s got his own thing going on. It's art as an exchange, an ongoing conversation. You feel the echoes of other artists, but he's definitely speaking in his own voice.