Girl in Bed 1973

Charles Quest created this compelling print, titled "Girl in Bed," using woodcut techniques. The bold contrast between black and white is achieved by carving away parts of a wood block, leaving the raised areas to receive ink and transfer the image onto paper. This method, while capable of great detail, tends to produce graphic, high-contrast results. Notice how Quest uses this to full effect, creating stark angular shapes that depict the figure and the surrounding bedclothes. The texture of the wood itself becomes part of the image. Woodcut, as a medium, has long associations with both fine art and more vernacular applications, such as posters and printed ephemera. The labor-intensive process, and potential for multiple impressions, makes it an interesting case study in the relationship between art, work, and consumption. Quest's decision to use this medium underscores how the act of making is deeply connected to the artwork's meaning and its wider social and cultural context.