Rockport, Mass. 1923

Maurice Prendergast made this watercolor, Rockport, Mass., with a loose, playful touch. The paint is thin and washy, more about suggestion than description. Look at that little pink house! See how the color bleeds and pools around the edges? It’s like he's letting the water do its thing, embracing the accidents. The marks are so immediate, like he’s trying to capture a fleeting moment. There is a gestural quality to the painting. Prendergast’s approach reminds me of Bonnard, the way they both use color to evoke a mood, a feeling. There's no right or wrong answer when we look at a painting. It’s more about what you bring to it, what you see, what you feel. So go ahead, let your imagination wander. What do you see in those little dabs of color?