Circus Abstraction c. 1950

John Marin made this drawing, Circus Abstraction, with graphite on paper. I can imagine Marin feeling playful, scribbling and seeing what happens, the graphite almost dancing across the page like performers in a ring! Look at these light, sketchy lines—they’re not trying to be perfect, and that’s what I love about them. There's a freedom, a looseness, that invites you in to join the fun. It’s like he's capturing the energy and chaos of the circus, but not in a literal way. More like a feeling, a vibe. It reminds me of other artists who were pushing boundaries, like Kandinsky, trying to capture the unseen forces in the world. Marin wasn't afraid to experiment and find his own way. And that, my friends, is what art is all about. It’s about pushing boundaries, and discovering new ways of seeing and expressing ourselves.