"Menemsha Harbor" 2 lx27 inches .
MARINE ART: Impressions of Martha's Viney
The Watercolors of by John Stobart
John Stobart is an artist who rejoices in good work by others and likes to spread that joy. Last summer, he invited an English watercolorist and his wife to the Vineyard. In one month, Bert Wright did thirty-three paintings-one a daynever looking backwards. These were shown ¡ in a special exhibition at Stobart's Summer Street Galleries in Edgartown , and a sampling is shown on these pages, with Stobart's appreciation of the work.
" Menemsha Inlet" 2l x27 inches.
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I had the pleasure of first meeting Bert Wright when he was on a vi sit from England in 1981 with a group of artists putting on an ex hibition of marine paintings. He came to see me in Potomac, Maryland , where I then li ved , and showed me several watercolors he had with him which he said had to go to a gallery in Maine . He seemed a decent sort of bloke but I was instantl y aware that thi s was no ordinary watercolori st and was all exc ited upon suddenl y di scovering thi s unusual talent. One of the paintings , of the Thames Ri ver in London, I simply had to own , and I moved in heav il y on Bert to sell it to me there and then, irrespecti ve of whatever other commitments he had made. Having been an artist all my life, I've come to understand th at paintings are not sold ; they sell themselves. It happens when a viewer is attracted by a spec ific as pect o f the work that has a special appeal. All of us are different in our likes and di slikes, but there was no questi on th at here was top quality craftsmanship , and whenever I glance at the painting I bought th at day I remember how lucky I was to pry it away from Bert. I wouldn ' t part with it at any price today. I'm always rather awed when I see fin e watercolor technique. The Briti sh school s o f watercol ori sts te nd to be freer in style and di spl ay more spontaneity th an their Ameri can counterparts, but be ing free with thi s medium in vo lves great diffi culty . As SEA HI STORY , WINTER 1986-87