New York c. 1921 - 1928

John Marin made this watercolour, *New York*, with what looks like quite a dry brush, maybe even a little crumbly – a bit like my own paintings if I'm honest. The colours are mostly muted; greys, blues, and a touch of pink peeking through. I can imagine Marin standing there, looking up at the buildings, trying to capture the essence of New York – the energy, the chaos, the sheer verticality. He lays down these strokes, trying to make sense of it all, but also surrendering to the feeling of being in the city. He must have liked the city a lot to want to paint it like this. Look at the window, the way he's hinted at the panes with just a few lines. It's not precise, but it gives you the sense of looking into a building, seeing a glimpse of life inside. Painters are always talking to each other across time and space, picking up on ideas, pushing them further, making them their own. Each brushstroke, each colour choice, is part of this ongoing conversation. And we, as viewers, get to eavesdrop, to join in, to find our own meaning in the mix.