Little Maple in a Swamp 1945

John Marin made this watercolor painting, Little Maple in a Swamp, in 1945. Look at how the washes of color are contained by the charcoal lines, like stained glass but a little bit wilder. Marin’s got a real sense of place here, using the watery medium of watercolor to capture the feeling of a swamp, of dampness. There's a loose grid of charcoal lines holding everything in place, but the colors bleed and blend, capturing the chaotic feeling of nature. Notice that pop of red in the center? That little maple really grabs your attention, a focal point amidst the watery greens and blues. Marin’s watercolors remind me a little of Arthur Dove’s work, both of them trying to capture something beyond the surface of things, the feeling or essence of a place. And like all good art, it’s not about one single idea, but about the many ways we can see and feel the world.