Crotch Island Granite Quarry c. 1920

John Marin made this watercolor, "Crotch Island Granite Quarry", on paper, and it feels like a quick, breezy capture of a place. You see how he lets the watercolor bloom and bleed? It's like he's more interested in the feeling of the place than a perfect depiction. Look at the water – those horizontal strokes are so simple, yet they totally evoke the movement and shimmer of the sea. And then there's the land, a jumble of shapes and lines that suggest buildings, boats, and cranes, all layered on top of each other, a chaotic but energetic scene. Notice the black lines which act as scaffolding that hold together the forms. Marin's use of color is so light and airy, mostly blues and greens with touches of red. It reminds me a bit of some of Marsden Hartley's paintings of Maine, where you get this similar sense of rugged beauty. Both were trying to capture the essence of a place, not just its appearance. It's like they are speaking the same language. For Marin, art isn't about answers, but about the ongoing conversation.