The Pine Tree, Small Point, Maine

Marin was interested in the experience of seeing, and at times he used painted borders to help translate a particular effect of vision. In this watercolor, the central motif is boldly rendered in strong, bright colors, the complementary relationship of blue and yellow giving the impression of sharp focus. Around the perimeter of the scene, the artist painted with water to dilute and blend pigment, blotting and wiping away the paint to create a blurry border that suggests peripheral vision or even the view through the lens of a camera. This vivid impression of the Maine environment quite literally exemplifies Marin’s statement that “there is a veil in front of the Artist / he’s got to pierce that veil.”