Grey Sea 1938

John Marin made this oil on canvas, titled ‘Grey Sea,’ in 1938. What strikes me here is how a landscape isn't just copied, but really felt. You can see the thick strokes of paint, almost like he’s wrestling with the scene, trying to pin down the raw energy of the sea. There's a real physicality in the way he’s applied the paint, you can almost feel the wind and spray. See how the grey blends with touches of green and white? It's like he’s mixed the colors right there on the canvas, capturing the fleeting moods of the ocean. I love the little jabs of orange in the foreground that make the grey sing. Marin’s work reminds me a bit of Marsden Hartley, another painter who wasn’t afraid to get down and dirty with his materials to express something elemental. Both artists show us that painting is less about perfect representation and more about a spirited conversation with the world.