From the collection of:
Clara M. Eagle Gallery, Murray State University || VAM Home

This black and white lithograph is full of shadows and light. The town pictured appears desolate and perhaps somewhat depressed. The arrow form is repeated in the roofs, dormers, and stovetops. The shadows in the print have been formed with the use of crosshatching.

About the Artist

World-renowned painter and engraver Betty Parish was best known for her landscapes, cityscapes, and detailed graphics. She won numerous awards and grants, including a research prize from the National Association of Women Artists and a National Arts Club Award for graphics. She was a member of the Society of American Etchers, the National Association of Women Artists, and the Pen and Brush Club. Her works are in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Library of Congress, the British Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

Classroom Ideas

Discussion: Do you think Bedford Street shows a scene from a city in the United States? Why or why not? What might be the purpose of the figure in this image? Can you tell what he is doing? What do you think is more important in the picture—the man or the buildings? Why? What effect does the strongly vertical composition have on the work?

Activity: The architecture shown in Bedford Street is distinctive. Take a look at the architecture in your city or town. Do you notice any distinctive characteristics about the houses and buildings in your area? Use charcoal or graphite to draw architecture that might be found in your community.

Links

See other works by Parish at the University of Montana and in the Amity Art Foundation’s WPA printmaking exhibit.
[www.umt.edu/partv/famus/print/wpa/parrish.htm]
[www.amityartfoundation.org/gallery/wpa/wpa.html]