In God's Country c. 1940

Edmund Brucker made "In God's Country" using lithograph, and I bet he spent hours creating this scene, shifting from dark to light, building the land, the hills, and the sky. I'm imagining Brucker, perched on a stool, his brow furrowed in concentration as he coaxes these forms into being. The monochromatic palette reminds me of the early days of photography. It's such a simple palette, yet so effective in creating depth and atmosphere. I keep thinking, what's she thinking, this figure with her dog in the middle of nowhere, in this God's country? There's a quietness about this place. The lithographic marks are so subtle and controlled. I imagine Brucker scraping and feathering to create the right effects. It makes me think about other artists working in printmaking, all of us in a way responding to and playing with the medium. In the end, we are all experimenting with mark-making, line, tone, and texture to explore ideas, express emotions, and invite you to look closely.