From Bold Island, Maine

This is a view from an island on the western side of Jerico Bay, which served as a reference point for sailors headed west into Stonington, Maine. Strong triangles formed by two pine trees are echoed by the white sail of a fishing vessel. From the pooling of his washes, it seems Marin worked upright. Playing with his paint, he let the urge to manipulate it drive the marks he made. He reinforced his watercolor lines with fabricated chalk, establishing them as symbols of the forces that connect the big elements of nature. He contrasted the deep black charcoal lines with broad, pale, transparent watercolor brushstrokes, creating a sense of energy. The painted internal frame keeps warring elements in check and signals the artist’s filtering of objective reality through his own experience.