Deer Isle Series 1927

John Marin made this watercolour from his Deer Isle Series, and it's like a fleeting memory of a harborside scene. The colors are soft, almost dreamlike, with touches of pink, blue, and muted greens. I can imagine Marin standing there, trying to capture the essence of the place, not just how it looks, but how it feels. He's simplifying forms, like the house and the boat, into these almost childlike shapes. There's a looseness to the lines that suggests movement and change. He is probably thinking how the light hits the water, the salty smell of the sea, the quiet hum of life in a small coastal town. It's like he's trying to catch a feeling, something that’s just beyond words. The way he uses watercolor, so fluid and transparent, reminds me of other artists, like Turner, who were also trying to capture the ephemeral qualities of light and atmosphere. Marin is talking to them and together they are reminding us that painting isn’t just about representation, it’s about the experience of seeing and feeling. And about reminding us that the best art invites us to pause, reflect, and maybe even see the world a little differently.