Deer Isle Series 1927

John Marin created this watercolor, Deer Isle Series, and right away you can see his marks are like shorthand, quickly capturing the essence of a place. Look at how he’s laid down these transparent washes; the paper still peeks through, giving it air and light. It’s like he’s trying to bottle the feeling of being there, not just the view. The pink in the foreground isn’t quite land or water, but a way to describe depth, a shadow perhaps? And those dashes of blue pulling the eye up to the sea beyond. It reminds me a little of Arthur Dove, another artist who was trying to paint feelings more than scenes. Marin isn’t giving us a photograph; he’s offering us an experience, a fleeting impression. And in that open-endedness, there’s space for our own memories to mingle with his, making it something new each time we look.