Study of a Woman 1976

Jay Moon made this intaglio print titled "Study of a Woman" in 1976. The act of making a print is so unlike painting, isn't it? I can just picture Jay, bent over a metal plate, etching the image with tiny, precise lines. Look closely, and you can see the incredible detail in the woman's face. Each line contributes to the overall sense of depth and texture, as if we're looking at a real person with stories etched on their face. I wonder, what was Jay thinking when he made it? Perhaps he was drawn to the woman's character, and the rich tapestry of her life. It's like the print is inviting us to do our own imagining of this woman's life and who she might be. Moon's mark-making reminds me of a drawing by Goya. All artists are in an ongoing conversation, riffing off one another’s ideas over time, and sparking all kinds of inspiration.