Snowfall 1939

Jacob Kainen made this color screenprint, Snowfall, in 1939. Look at how he’s made the image: blocks of color next to each other, describing shapes and forms, but also creating a real sense of atmosphere. For me, this piece is all about the process, the building up of layers and shapes to create something more than the sum of its parts. I’m really drawn to the textures Kainen creates, especially the way he uses the paint to suggest the falling snow. It’s not just white streaks; there’s a real sense of depth and weight to it. And see how the red of the figure’s coat pops against the muted blues and grays of the background? It’s like a little beacon of warmth in the cold. If you look closely at the snow near the bottom right, you can see how he layers the paint, building up the surface with these quick, gestural marks. Kainen reminds me of Stuart Davis in the way he finds abstraction in everyday scenes, embracing ambiguity.