Boston and North Chungahochie Express after 1916

This is a painting called *Boston and North Chungahochie Express*, and it’s been made with simple, earthy colors, probably gouache or acrylic. I love the way the artist has flattened the space, so the train seems to be popping up and out. I can imagine the artist, maybe working outside, layering the paint, adding details with a small brush, like the stripes on the engine or the curlicues on the coal car. Each mark is so deliberate, so considered. You can feel the artist’s hand in every stroke. I imagine they're singing to themselves as they paint. The steam from the engine almost looks like it's erasing the trees behind it, a kind of ghostly effect. It makes me think about other self-taught artists like Bill Traylor, who used simple materials to create these incredibly powerful images. Artists are constantly in dialogue, riffing off each other, even across time. This painting is a reminder that art is about seeing, feeling, and expressing, not just about technique or skill.