Afloat

Afloat likely depicts an object or organic form resting on a calm water surface, a recurring motif in Brodbeck's engagement with the Great Lakes environment. The composition probably emphasizes horizontal stillness, with water rendered through overlapping color passes using water-based pigments on washi. Brodbeck's characteristic bokashi gradations — rubbed gradually from saturated tone to open paper — would distinguish sky from reflection and give the surface its luminous quality. The baren pressure in lighter passages keeps the washi texture visible, contributing to the print's atmospheric depth. The title frames the depicted element as suspended between water and air, a state of equilibrium. In mokuhanga, achieving convincing water surfaces requires precise registration across multiple blocks, and this kind of technically demanding subject is central to Brodbeck's mature practice. The overall effect is meditative, consistent with her stated interest in Zen-influenced landscape perception.