Deep Sea

Hildegarde Haas

A tranquil scene rendered in sand and lavender hues exhibits layers of shapes that suggest currents, puffs of seagrass, and gentle creatures traversing the mysterious depths in Hildegarde Haas’ color woodcut. A fine example of the mid-century exploration of non representational forms in fine art, Haas’ “Deep Sea” communicates the human desire to understand what lies beneath the surface - though we cannot see it, we can imagine it. Haas’ own experience with synesthesia (visual thinking) clearly allowed her to connect the abstract into something familiar to the viewer.

Though Haas took courses in painting and drawing, her woodcut technique was almost entirely self taught. Her overall style is always stripped to the barest forms, using color to evoke a mood. Additionally, the subject of her prints was primarily related to nature: ocean, forest, and desert scenes, all done in such a way that the viewer can impress upon them his or her own idea of place and time. Her work is both of an era and timeless.