Marin Sketchbook 1951

This "Fav-o-rite Sketch Book," likely toted around by John Marin, is made of cardboard and paper, probably from his time in New York. I love thinking about how it came into being—Marin, with his hands, shifting and changing, trying out different things with watercolor, pen, and ink. What was it like for him to create this? I imagine him on the move, maybe on a boat, trying to capture the dynamism of the city. The cardboard has a warmth to it, like old paper bags and sunshine. It's lovely to see it, this favorite thing of his, a silent witness to all his experiments. I can see him, thinking about other artists, maybe even other artists who were thinking about him! Artists are always having this conversation across time. His work reminds me to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, knowing there are multiple ways of seeing and feeling.