Staten Island Street c. 1935 - 1943

Ann Nooney made this color print, "Staten Island Street," and the process of making prints can be so satisfying. You know, the way each layer of color builds on the last, creating depth and texture. Look at the way Nooney uses color here, the blues and greens creating a kind of quiet harmony. The surface has this lovely, almost chalky quality, which softens the scene. It is possible to make out the individual strokes, or rather the areas of color, which really emphasizes the hand-made aspect of the work. Notice the street lamp, which is almost centrally located. The verticality of the lamp post emphasizes the slope and perspective, and the walking woman next to the lamp hints at stories of the city in the everyday. Nooney's work reminds me a bit of Edward Hopper, but with a gentler touch. Both artists capture the feeling of urban life, but Nooney's is a more intimate, less alienated view. It's a reminder that art isn't about answers, it's about offering us new ways to see and experience the world around us.