Meet 5 artists who depict boats large and small
This story was featured in the September 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine. Get the Southwest Art September 2013 print issue or digital download now–then subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss another story!
Diane Ainsworth
Diane Ainsworth, Wooden Boat Shadows, oil, 24 x 30.
“Living in Port Townsend, WA, a lovely Victorian seaport town, I am inspired by the wooden boats’ abstract shapes and their reflections. WOODEN BOAT SHADOWS was painted as the sun was just starting to go down, creating beautiful purple shadows with deep-blue water reflections. I am always attracted to the light and abstract shapes. I paint very fast using a painting knife. Because the boats often move, they aren’t reliable subjects. So, I take a photograph first to use later in the studio. I can paint a large work from it or finish what I started. No copying, but the photo is a good reference to go along with the true colors I saw on the spot. In this work I added a figure in the background on the right. It gives scale and a nice point of interest.”
representation
Roby King Galleries, Bainbridge Island, WA; Dana Gallery, Missoula, MT; Howard/Mandville Gallery, Kirkland, WA; Anne Irwin Fine Art, Atlanta, GA; Bucks County Gallery of Fine Art, New Hope, PA; www.dianeainsworth.com.
Suzanne Morris
Suzanne Morris, Returning to Port, oil, 12 x 16.
“RETURNING TO PORT was inspired by a plein-air sketch I did on location in Yorktown, VA. The Alliance is a restored schooner that takes tourists out for a short sail on Yorktown Harbor. I learned to sail with my brothers at Yorktown, so it has always been a special place for me. The midday summer heat, the white sails against the bluebird sky, and the color harmony of the old wooden masts conjured up an image of the perfect summer day and called to me to paint this scene. It is always a challenge to capture the colors in the reflected light on the shaded side of the sails, and to then reflect the sails back onto the water.”
representation
Seaside Art Gallery, Nags Head, NC; Richard Stravitz Sculpture and Fine Art, Virginia Beach, VA; ArtSource Fine Art, Raleigh, NC; City Art Gallery, Greenville, NC; suzannemorrisstudios.com.
James Richards
James Richards, Among Friends, oil, 11 x 14.
“This painting was created in Carrabelle, FL, in the America’s Great Paint Out Plein Air Festival. It was one of those perfect days. I was in a beautiful shipyard with old shrimp boats and sailboats and great friends Lori Putnam, Haidee-Jo Summers, and Dawn Whitelaw, who is the artist depicted in this piece. Boats have long been a favorite subject matter of mine. I was drawn to this scene because of the strong pattern and layering of light and shadow. I began with a light graphite drawing of the big, simple shapes. I do this when there are complex varieties of angles and drawing that have to be accurate. I then thinly mass in all the shadows in a medium value. I build the painting on top of this, trying to maintain some sense of the abstract relationship of light and shadow.”
representation
Galerie on Broad, Charleston, SC; Mountainsong Galleries, Carmel, CA; www.jrichardsstudio.com.
Hiu Lai Chong
Hiu Lai Chong, Downrigging, oil, 24 x 36.
“A trip to Chestertown, MD, inspired me to paint this. It was during the annual downrigging weekend in the late fall, when many tall ships and wooden boats gather at the harbor to mark the end of the sailing season. Many of these historical boats were lit up at night with bright spotlights. I was so intrigued by the dramatic lighting on the masts, highlighting all of the intricate details of the ship’s rigging. It was almost like going back in time, being surrounded by these historic vessels. I appreciated the opportunity to bring my outside experience into the studio.”
representation
McBride Gallery, Annapolis, MD; South Street Art Gallery, Easton, MD; www.hiulaichong.com.
Alana Knuff
Alana Knuff, Sunday on Jeremy Creek, oil, 30 x 40.
“I recently completed a series of paintings focused on shrimping. There are several small towns along the Carolinas where shrimping has been active for generations. McClellanville, north of Charleston, is one. From here Jeremy Creek provides access to the Atlantic and a safe, narrow harbor. One sunny Sunday morning, I spent time photographing the boats and was taken by this image. This orderly arrangement of shrimpers docked sterns first, three across and more than seven rows deep, grabbed my attention. It spoke volumes to me about this close community of fishermen, as this matrix requires cooperation and trust. It inspired this painting.”
representation
Atrium Art Gallery, Charleston, SC; www.alanaknuff.com.
Featured in the September 2013 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art September 2013 print issue or digital download
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