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San Francisco A Sesquicentennial Commemoration by john Stobart, The Gold Rush Harbor as Deserted Vesssels Began to A mass of!Yerba Buena Cove in 1849. (oil, 30x5B ': 2003)
lothAtmua( Coos Bay MaritimeArt Exhi6it To mark irs l Orh year, rhe lOrh Annual Coos Bay Mari rime Arr Exhibir, held ar rhe Coos Arr Museum , fearuredJohn Stobart alo ng wirh eighr of rhe previously fearured artisrs. A total of forty-five West Coast artists displayed fifty-seven juried works. The opening festivities included a receprion ar rhe Coos Arr Museum, followed by a banquet, an artists' breakfast, a rugboat ride in the Coos Bay harbor area, and an arrisrs' picnic. During the picnic several of the artisrs were asked rheir view of marine art and art in general. "Maririme art is alive and kicking and very successful and parricularly acrive on rhe Wesr Coasr," scared John Srobarr. Bur mosr agreed rhar inreresr in and sales of art in general have been affecred by a negarive economy. Bill Lowe, an arrisr associared wirh the Vall ejo Gallery in Newport Beach, California, sees "keen interest in clients seeking the work of deceased maririme artists" as investmenrs but feels that the republic may be missing opporrunities for quality work by contemporary artisrs . Louis Srephen Gadal, a successful watercolorist from West Los Angeles gives credir to currenr artisrs, including Stobart, Don Demers, Christopher Blossom and the !are David Thimgan, for keeping maritime history alive through rheir work. He also credits organizations such as the American Society of Marine Artists and museums such as Mystic Seaport for focusing on our marine heritage, and those that have built historic ship replicas or rescued and restored h istoric ships. Stobart feels strongly rhat basic skills in art musr be provided the nexr generarion of artists-one of rhe reasons he supports rhe Lyme Academy College of Arr in Connecricur-and rhar on-site painring should be a primary pan of each artisr's own unique "signarure" Overall, there was much optimism and excitemenr surrounding rhis exhibir. The camaraderie of rhe Coos Bay group, reflected in the excellence of the exhibit does make ir appear rhar maririme arr will indeed be an importanr and continuing presence on the Wesr Coasr. Many will be attending rhe American Society of marine Artisrs meerings ro be held for rhe firsr rime on rhe Wesr Coasr, 24-26 Ocrober 2003 in Carmel, California.
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SEA HISTORY 105, AUTUMN 2003