The Windmill 1902

Donald Shaw MacLaughlan made this print, depicting a windmill, using etching. Look closely and you can see the tiny lines and cross-hatching that build up the image. I imagine him bent over the plate, carefully layering these marks to create a sense of depth and texture. It's a slow process, meditative almost. There's something beautiful about the way he captures the rough texture of the windmill's wooden structure. The subtle grays and blacks give the scene a quiet, contemplative mood. It reminds me of the work of the Impressionists, but with a more graphic edge. You can almost feel the wind turning the sails, hear the creaking of the wood, smell smoke from the chimney. All these artists, like MacLaughlan, are trying to capture a feeling, an experience. They want to share their particular way of seeing the world and invite us to see it too.