Winter on the Creek 1940

This colour print, Winter on the Creek, was made by Harry Gottlieb. I can only imagine him, with his chisels, cutting into that block. It is hard work, but it’s also a kind of dance. I am just loving the way Gottlieb captured figures in motion! He has thought carefully about how to express dynamism and energy. I bet he watched them skating for hours, trying to catch the feeling of speed and freedom in his mind. I can almost hear them whooping and hollering on the ice. It has a graphic simplicity that makes the composition pop. Gottlieb was part of a generation of artists exploring working-class subject matter. He was finding new ways to express the everyday lives of ordinary people. It’s like he’s inviting us to participate in his world and share in the joy of the winter season. Isn’t that what art is all about, really?