Spectators and yacht racers for the las t sixty years will recognize rhe Olin Srephensdesigned yawl Bolero, which has been a regular competitor in most of rhe major ocean races since 1950. In rhe 195 0s, Bolero finished rhe Bermuda Race wirh rhe best rime three rimes in a row. In rhe 1956 event, the 73-fr. Bolero was pounding hard to windward when she broke a headsray. H er able and quick-thin king crew ran the jib halyards our to rhe bow and she still finished in record time, averaging a speed of nine knots.
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Both D emers and Blake have depicted her racing towards the finish off Sr. D avid's H ead Lighthouse, Bermuda.
Bolero, Crossing the finish line off St. David's Light, Bermuda, 1956 by A . D. Blake, oil on canvas, 24 x 3 0 inches
Donald D em ers was born in the small, rural community of Lunenburg, M assachusetts, but his real interest in painting m aritime subjects began while spending summers on the coast of M aine. After high school, he furthered his education in art at the School of rhe Worcester Art Museum and the M assachusetts College of Art in Boston. Once he'd completed h is formal studies in art, h.e went to sea as a crewmember aboard traditional sailing vessels. Aboard vessels such as Unicorn, Fair Sarae, and Black Pearl he has cruised the waters of the Atlantic, Caribbean , and Pacific. 1his experience has given him an understanding of how a sailing ship moves in rhe water and of the complexities of the sea state in all weather conditions. These insights have proven invaluable in his ability to convey these qualities in h is art. Though he now makes his home ashore, he continues to be an avid sailo r. Don's professional career as an artist began as an illustrator before it expanded into the fi eld of fine art. His illustrations and paintings can be fo und on numerous book covers and m agazines, including works published in an instructional textbook tided M arine Painting, Techniques ofModern M asters, published by Wa rson Guptill. Don is a Fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists, an elected m ember of the G uild of Boston Artists, an elected m ember of the California Arr C lub, and a signa ture member of PAPA (Plein Air Painters of America). H e has wo n a record twen ty awards at the Mys tic International M arine Arr Exhibition, M ys tic, Connecticut, including the Rudolph J. Schaefer Maritime H eritage Award Bolero off St. David's Light, Bermuda, 1954 in 2006, and his illustrations have been recognized by the Museum by Donald D emers, oil on canvas, 38 x 48 inches of American Illustration four times in their national competition . D on's paintings have been featured in a number of prominent museum exhibitions, from California to Cape Cod. You can catch Don at his easel this summer and fall at two plein air pai nting events in M assachusetts : 28-30 June in C hatham , MA, and 17-1 8 September in Duxbury, MA. Refer to www.donalddem ers.com/ rheevents.hrml fo r more info rmation.
j. Russell f inishian has been recognized as the nation's Leading authority on contemporary marine art for over 25 years and is known internationally as the former D irector of the .Mystic Maritime Gallery at the Mystic Seaport M useum. H e is the publiJfher of Marine Arr Quarterly, the nation's only publication dedicated to contemporary marine art, and the author ofBound for Blue Water, cmnsidered the definitive guide to contemporary marine art. Mr. Jinishian operates the j. Russell finishian Gallery, the nation's largest gallery of nnarine art at: 1657 Post Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. (Ph. 203 259-8753; www.jrusselljinishiangallery.com) 26
SEA HIST<ORY 13 1, SUMMER2010