I’ve already established that I tend to enjoy monochrome (esp black and white) prints more than color, in general. I’m also discovering that many of the printmakers I like are from and/or do a lot of scenes of New York City. Having lived in the city myself for 7 years, I really enjoy these. Am I discovering so many of them because NYC has a lively arts scene and therefore lots of printmakers gravitate there? Is it a popular subject because these prints sell well? Many of the NYC prints that have caught my eye are really pretty pictures, but don’t grab me in my gut. It’s hard to articulate, but it feels like I’m getting some sense of artistic depth. I’m not necessarily talking about meaning here–I’m just talking about a different kind of artistic value, which is likely very personal.
Today, I looked at the works of five modern or contemporary NYC print artists, and four of them produced very attractive pieces which pleased my eye but didn’t produce a visceral reaction. Karen Whitman is the fifth. I can’t say her pieces feel profoundly meaningful per se, but they do evoke a much deeper feeling than the other four artists. Whitman is still alive and working, has worked as a circus performer, and creates music as well as visual art. Her medium is relief block prints, both linocuts (as in this piece) and woodcuts. Her works are modestly priced as these things go, and I encourage you to look at more of her work
Birdwatcher
