Port 1981

Maria Bozoky made this watercolor, Port, at some point during her lifetime. It's a breezy and colorful piece, with the kind of loose brushwork that feels really immediate. You can see the process, the way the paint moves and blends. Look at how she builds up the image with transparent layers; the colors mix right there on the paper. See that little red boat? It’s not just sitting on the water, it’s part of the water, reflecting and distorting the light. The textures are so alive, from the scribbled reflections to the delicate washes of the sky. It’s a reminder that painting is a conversation between the artist, the material, and the world. You could almost imagine John Marin doing this, with that same love of place, and a real sense of making a painting out of seeing. It’s like the painting is thinking out loud, embracing the beauty of uncertainty.