Rowe, Massachusetts 1918

John Marin made this watercolor, Rowe, Massachusetts, with light washes of blues, greens, and browns. I can see him outside, maybe a little chilly, squinting to capture the light. He's making quick marks, trying to record his impression. It's like he’s asking, "What does it feel like to be here, looking at this view?" I feel a kinship with Marin; he's trying to grab something fleeting. Look how he layers the blues in the sky, a sort of hazy atmosphere. Then, these little jabs of green and brown that suggest trees. It's not about getting every detail right, but about the overall feeling. It's like he's inventing a new way to see a landscape. Painters like Marin and me, we're all in conversation, you know? We’re inspired by the ones who came before us. Painting is like thinking with your hands—messy, intuitive, and always a little bit uncertain.