Circus Scene c. 1950

John Marin made "Circus Scene" with watercolor and graphite, and the process feels immediate, like a snapshot. The quick marks and sketchy lines show how Marin understood artmaking as a fluid, dynamic thing. I'm drawn to the way he uses simple materials to capture the energy of a circus. The graphite gives a sense of movement, while the watercolor adds just a touch of color, like the red of the clown's nose or the blue of the tent. Look at the top of the image, there are so many frantic marks in black! It reminds me of some of Picasso's circus drawings, where he also uses line and minimal color to capture the essence of the performance. Marin, like Picasso, invites us to see the world in a new way, to find beauty in the everyday. It’s a reminder that art is not about perfect representation, but about seeing, feeling, and expressing.