By the sea 1908

Martiros Sarian made *By the Sea* and what strikes me is how the paint seems to hum with a certain intensity. It’s like he’s wrestling with the colors, trying to pin down the feeling of that place. Looking at the waves, you can see how he uses these curving strokes, almost like commas, to build up the water. It’s not about getting it “right,” but about capturing the energy, the way the light bounces off the surface. I like the way the orange of the mountain in the background vibrates against the blue of the water. Sarian reminds me a bit of Marsden Hartley, with that same love for landscape and bold color. But Sarian has this extra layer of dreaminess, like he’s painting a memory more than a scene. It's a reminder that painting isn’t about answers, it's about the ongoing conversation between the artist, the materials, and the world.