Wentworth by the Sea Limited Edition of 15

'Wentworth by the Sea' is an iconic Don Gorvett color woodcut. One defining feature of a Gorvett woodcut is its animated sky, conveying a profound sense of transcendence and the power of nature. For this woodcut, Don drew directly onto the woodblock with a nibbed pen dipped in India ink. The drawing on the block is the cutting guide, and it is lost through the reduction printing process. Cutting the block and sculpting the lines require improvisation and discipline; meticulous inking of the block and the printing of thin layers of color require concentration and skill. The result is a buildup of velvety colors, texture, and tones on Japan paper.

The Wentworth by the Sea Hotel is one of the last grand resorts along the New England coast. When Don drew the structure, the hotel had been abandoned and scheduled to be razed. The massive, vacant wooden building, with its striking Second Empire architecture, lends itself well to the aesthetic and reductive woodcut process.