In 2020, Alex Katz exhibited “Trees”, a new series of three monumental paintings featuring early spring trees in Pennsylvania, at the chapel Sant’Andrea de Scaphis in Rome. From this series, Katz selected two paintings to be envisioned as prints using lithography, woodcut, and silkscreen techniques. Honoring the majestic presence of the earth’s landscapes, both prints elevate the perspective of the trees to express a reverence for nature and its cyclical processes.

“Tree 8” is a 6-run lithograph and woodcut print with the three initial woodcut runs building the crisp, blue background and defining the tree with sparse limbs to allow the wood grain to be visible throughout the print. The final three lithographic runs of orange, white, and black translate the artist’s gestural brushstrokes to generate the highlights and shadows forming the trunk and branches, echoing the reflections of light in early spring.