St. Johns River, New Brunswick, Canada 1951

John Marin made this watercolour painting of St. Johns River, New Brunswick, Canada. The marks in this piece look quick and lively, as though Marin was trying to capture the scene with immediacy. He uses a light touch, letting the white of the paper show through the transparent washes of colour, a bright blue, soft green and dusky pink. I can imagine him standing there, sketchbook in hand, squinting slightly as he looks out across the water. The marks seem tentative but purposeful, each stroke building up a sense of place. The light blue horizontal mark above the horizon, it’s like he’s quickly blocked in a hazy sky, but he is also echoing the curves of the hills. Marin was part of a group of artists who were trying to capture the energy of modern life, and you can feel that here. It’s not just a picture of a landscape; it’s a record of a moment, a feeling, a fleeting impression. It reminds me that art isn't just about what we see, but how we see it.