I am also a self-taught artist and inspiration for painting boats struck me when I stumbled across an old boat tucked away in an unused boat shed. Sunlight streamed through cracks in the sheds siding, highlighting the dust in the air while casting streams of light and shadows over the worn wood and peeling paint of this sleeping beauty. Who built it, why was it built? How has necessity defined its shape and function?
A Boatbuilder’s Perspective by Tony Grove I have always loved discovering new ideas and creating which has led me into several careers throughout my life.
As a boatbuilder and as a career, I have chosen to preserve old wooden boats. I am fascinated by their historic value, an intrigue that draws me into a careful study of their build and design. Many of the boat images I create come from the inspiration of working on the vessels themselves, or of their historic role they’ve played in the past.
After completing a four-year boatbuilding apprenticeship at Vancouver Shipyard that started in 1980, I honed my skills as a shipwright eventually specifically specializing in wooden boat restoration and construction as well as boat interior building.
Intrigued by the myriad of hulls shapes, styles and construction, I find true beauty and joy with artistic license, by using light and colour to capture the essence of the boat in his paintings.
In 2001 one of largest boat building projects I worked on was the construction of a 34' sailboat for a Vancouver client. With the help of boatbuilder friends and several previous boat school students there was a successful completion and launching of "Prospector" in the summer of 2005.
I also briefly worked as a commercial illustrator and artist, producing work for Vancouver clients and magazines. One of my largest projects was in 1989 where I illustrated a book for the United Nations through the FAO, which has since been published into several languages for distribution around the world.
At present I am working on Dorothy, a 30 ft sail boat owned by the BC Maritime Museum in Victoria. It is the oldest registered, functioning sail boat in Canada, built in 1897 in Victoria. I have been restoring her so she may one day sail again.
In 1992, my love for art and wood, allowed me to naturally combine my skills to start a successful business in the field of custom furniture design and building. Alongside my business in 1995, I co-founded the “Lava group” a collaboration of some of the most creative furniture designer builders in BC, where they came together for an annual exhibition (and party) of their new furniture designs and functional art. www.tonygrove.com
www.islandartsmag.ca
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Nov 20 - Feb 21
