MARINE ART NEWS by Peter Stanford
London, Moonlight over Lower Pool 1897
FREE SWEEPSTAKES A $1500 John Stobart print will be given away to publicize the fifth annual Sea Heritage Ma.rine Art Contest. Stobart prints hang in museums, corporate offices and fine homes. 86 prints have been Issued since 1974. Many sell for more than 20 times their original price in the current art market. Everyone has a chance to win: Send business card. Write on the back, "/ wll/ talk up the Art contest". Bernie Klay will put your card in the raffle. Artists enter the Sea Art Contest: Send a self addressed stamped envelope for an entry blank and rules. SEA HERITAGE Box 241HI, Glen Oaks, NY11004 (800)247-3262/(718)343-9575
26
Outward Bound on the can expect more sensation-oriented, Morning Tide cleverly promoted masters of what "A 21 -gun salute for your remarks about some derisively term avant garbage. so-called modem art on page 41 of Sea By virtue of entrenched monopoly the History 51," writesFrederickP. Witte of public, perpetually confused as to what Lakeland, Florida--one of the twentyto believe in, is effectively denied the odd people who wrote in with comments privilege of choice, the art student on this subject. He continues: denied the opportunity of learning. There is somethi ng therapeutic about Only if public opinion, weakened if walking along the seashore or better not non-existent, should somehow beyet, being outward bound on the come a force, can there be any hope of morning tide. However, when that is our seeing rising stars of true excelnot available to us, marine art has a lence in American painting today . way of stirring up the same feelings . Copies of this essay, " Art CommenOne can imagine the dovecotes of tary," may be had by dropping us a line modem art a-flutter with that one. Art as at NMHS , 132 Maple Street, Croton-ontherapy! Art as subordinate (ugh) to the Hudson NY 10520. experience itself! But we here regard The new Stobart oil painting that that simple statement as a forceful and heads the next column represents a demoving affirmation the role of art in our parture from the finely detailed, evocalives. Robert Frost, we feel , would have tive seaport paintings that have been this approved. So perhaps would Rembrandt, master's stock-in-trade. Some years ago and other artists in different media who he spoke of his desire to paint everyday celebrate the experience of our lives, things exactly as they struck him, workand seek the sacred in the ordinary. ing in the open air. This particular spot "There goes the budget! " writes David on the island of Martha's Vineyard, off Bunnell of New Windsor NY, hav ing the coast of southern Massachusetts, just commissioned anew painting by his where the tidal current rushes chortling favorite artist. Not just the cost of the past the little fishing village of Menpainting, but "I'll have to move to get emsha, is a favorite comer of the world more wall space." He concludes, "I love to us, and evidently to the artist- and marine art." This ebullient spirit charac- through him , perhaps to you, reader. terized much of the response we receiv* * * * * ed. And why not? It was Michel de Mon- Friends of marine artist and naval architaigne who said Philosophy wears a tect George F. Campbell, led by his laughing face- which is why, onemight particular friend John Shedd, have issued a memoir on the man and his work. add, she so often passes unrecognized. And we liked the simple statement of George, an NHMS Advisor, was archiGene Olsen in Crescent City, Califor- tect of the Cutty Sark restoration in nia: "The subject has opened the door England, and of the Wavertree restorafor history and made it exciting." And to tion in New York up until his death in round out this cheerful miscellany, our 1988 (see Sea History 49, p34). He refriend Harry L. Nelson , Jr. , writes us ceived theNMHSJames MonroeAward from Rolling Hills Estates, California: in 1978 on his merits as historian, par"Sea History gets better and better all the ticularly for his great wor)s: The China time. It's full of little pearl s and all you Tea Clippers, published in 1974. In that need to do is read closely to find them." work he gave us his appreciation of the * * * * * art embodied in these graceful vessels, The painter John Stobart, in May last and the loyalties they commanded: year, offered an "Art Commentary" in Today much of what was wrought in which, more in sadness than in anger these ships would be considered un(but with a kind of restrained anger, as necessary and uneconomical, with our complete change in attitude towell) he takes to task the scholiasts who have, in his view, both ruined budding ward life and the means of sustaining it. The ever increasing pace impels us painters and contributed to the alienation of the public from art-art which towards goals which, some would should be reaching, challenging and consider, are not yet proved to be the refreshing people. Here is an example of right ones, and many values which were satisfying ends in themselves what I mean by "restrained anger," from this admirable piece: have been lost on the way . The inIn the more educationally based TV tense pride with which a seaman would sign on with the ship of his programs and magazine articles ... we SEA HISTORY 53, SPRING 1990