Marina 1927

Armando Reveron made this dreamy beach scene, Marina, with oil on canvas. It’s all about touch – smudgy, soft marks that blend and bleed into each other. He's using a reduced palette of blues and sandy yellows, creating this sense of light and atmosphere. Look how the paint seems dry and chalky, especially in the foreground. This dryness gives it a kind of ghostly, ethereal quality. It’s like the scene is almost fading away or being bleached by the sun. The textures in the beach area almost give a granular effect, in contrast with the blended blues above. Then, there's the sky – broader strokes, more movement. Notice that horizontal stroke of blue running across the middle. It's so simple, but it pulls the whole thing together. Reveron reminds me a little of Whistler, especially with the way he captures a mood more than a place. Both artists show us how a painting can be a feeling, not just a picture. Art, in that way, is an ongoing conversation, and we’re all invited to join in.