The Start of the Bermuda Race, 1923 by A. D. Blake, oil on canvas, 24 x 38 inches
New Zealander A. D . "Tony" Blake hails fro m a celebrated maritime fa mily (his brother was internatio nally renowned sailo r and enviro nmentalist Sir Peter Blake) who grew up sailing on the coast and co mmanded his fi rs t yach t, a New Zealand "P" Class dinghy, at age six. H e has spent a lifetime on the wa ter, and this personal conn ectio n to sailing and the sea is clearly evident in his arr. Blake grad uated with a M as ter of Engi neering (First Class H ono rs) and discovered his artisti c pass io n and talent once his university studies were co mpleted. H e is artistically self taught; he learned partly by closely studying the techniques and paintings of those O ld Mas ters and Impressionist artists that he admires. As a trained engineer, co mpetitive race r, and des igner of boats himself, Blak.e is able to depict both the drama and the intricacies of yacht racing with stunning accuracy and vib rancy. His subj ects range fro m classic yachts and contemporary races to complex harbor scenes and historic vessels and evenrs. Bur it's his understanding of the play ofli ght and shadow on the sea and o n vessels moving through rhe wa ter togeth er with an energeti c use of oil paint that combine to give his paintings a distinctive look that is instantly recognizable to sailo rs and marine arr connoisseurs alike. His painrings reside in major collectio ns wo rldwide, including the New York Yacht Club, rhe Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadro n, and rhe H erreshoff Mari ne tv1useum. When no t at his easel, Tony Blake serves as C hairman of rhe New Zealand Classic Yacht Associatio n and skippers the 1894, 57-fr. gaff- rigged yach t Waitang, racing her with a crew of 12-15 .
SEA HISTORY l 31 , SUMMER 2010
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