Undertow

Collector's Focus: Marine Art

The English novelist Charlotte Brontë wrote, “The idea of seeing the sea—of being near it—watching its changes by sunrise, sunset, moonlight, and noonday—in calm, perhaps in storm—fills and satisfies my mind.”

John F. Kennedy, more than 100 years later, reminded us why. “We are tied to the ocean. And when we go back to the sea—whether it is to sail or to watch it—we are going back from whence we came.”

From the dark depths of the northern sea to the transparent turquoise of the tropics, the sea in all its moods has attracted painters for millennia.

The calm sea is soothing, its potential for catastrophic force momentarily forgotten.J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, Sunset at Saybrook Light, Connecticut, acrylic on panel, 20 x 48", by Loretta Krupinski.

Winslow Homer painted Boys in a Dory in 1873 when he spent the summer in Gloucester, Massachusetts, mastering watercolor, a medium he had used before but had begun to consider more seriously as an art form.

Boys in a Dory is one of the 30 or so paintings he did of children playing on the beach and on boats around the busy harbor. His pencil outlines are visible beneath the strong horizontal bands of muted color that lead the eye to the solitary boy in a blue shirt sitting on the bow of the dory. His friends pause in their rowing as a schooner sails by. The boys may be heading out to the arduous and dangerous job of hauling lobster traps, a chore Homer painted several times that summer. The boy in the bow is in a respite from guiding his mates and appears lost in contemplation.Emily James, Beauty in the Clouds, mixed media, 43 x 60"

Emily James, Graceful Landing, mixed media, 48 x 48"

Loretta Krupinski is a native New Englander, well acquainted with the many moods of the sea. She is a fellow of the American Society of Marine Artists. She draws from her personal experience on the water to ensure the accuracy of her renderings of sailing vessels. The scene in Sunset at Saybrook Light, Connecticut, is one she experienced on a sail along the coast as a schooner and a yawl passed the lighthouse in the last minutes of daylight.Gleason Fine Art, Monhegan Town from Lighthouse Hill, oil, 30 x 40", by Peter Sculthorpe

Winslow Homer (1836-1910), Boys in a Dory, 1873, watercolor washes and gouache over graphite underdrawing, 9¾ x 137/8". The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. Bequest of Molly Flagg Knudtsen, 2001. Public Domain.

Farther up the New England coast is the picturesque island of Monhegan with the smaller Manana Island protecting its harbor. Peter Sculthorpe is intrigued by buildings, the people who built them and the lives that are lived in them. In Monhegan Town from Lighthouse Hill he surveys the iconic town and its iconic buildings on a day when the sea is calm. The Island Inn has dominated the scene since 1816. He paints the town from a distance—both physical and emotional. He often seeks out the wilderness, far from the hand of man. But when he paints the built, inhabited world, he paints its tangible reality. The late Maine art critic, Phil Isaacson wrote, “Sculthorpe’s images are factual and speak of places for their own value and not as surrogates for other ideas.”

The many moods of the sea, as well as her beauty and ferocity, can be seen throughout the pages of this collector’s focus. From depictions of grand vessels and simple boats, to thunderous waves and aquatic life, the genre of marine art runs deep. Josef Kote, Draken Viking Ship - Mystic Seaport, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 48"

World-renowned artist Josef Kote is one of most sought-after painters. Looking at his work, two distinct ideas in art history come to the forefront: that of abstraction versus realism, and the notion of painting as representative of feeling or experiences. He is well known for his implementation of both brush and palette knife, which allows for a range of different textures, and lends itself well to his desire to create something both expressive and impressionistic. The palette knife is most commonly used in his paintings to create the sweeping strokes of bold, pulsating color that moves throughout each and every one of his canvases. Yet equally important are the areas of the composition Kote chooses not to paint, or at least, to not paint so heavily.Josef Kote, Sunlit Water, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 72"

“In my experience, my best work results when I let things happen and let the work lead me,” says the artist. “It takes meticulous discipline to remain both free and consistent.’’

For Donna Lee Nyzio, composition is of the utmost importance. The artist takes her time before starting a painting to balance the big bold shapes of boats, birds and other coastal objects with muted atmospheres. Soft complimentary colors and a wide variety of shapes and lines help to keep some areas simple and others complex. “I also think about positive and negative space as well as texture and transparency. The result is pretty realistic, even with abstracted elements and textures that provide just a hint of reality,” says Nyzio. She is currently working on a Maritime Working Man series as well as one on coastal birds.

“We are so honored to represent a variety of artists that excel in the subject of the sea. Whether a timeless seascape, or a more focused work of a vintage boat, or reflection of light on waves, we always get excited to receive these masterful works,” says Angela Stump of John C. Doyle Art Gallery. The gallery, located on the vibrant Church Street in downtown Charleson, South Carolina, has been in business for almost 40 years.Top: Josef Kote, Timeless Sea Breezes, acrylic on canvas, 36 x 24"; Donna Lee Nyzio, Top Shelf, oil on panel, 18 x 18". Bottom: John C. Doyle Art Gallery, Divine Intervention, oil on canvas, 24 x 30", by Simon Kenevan; Donna Lee Nyzio, Slice of Summer, oil on panel, 12 x 12"

Artist Jacalyn Beam’s Painting the Catcher shows the horseshoe crab catcher boat in dry dock being painted for a new season. The boat is used for carefully catching and releasing horseshoe crabs found throughout the Mid-Atlantic coastline and bays. “Blood is extracted from the horseshoe crabs and then the crabs are released back into the water. Horseshoe crab blood is vital to the medical field because of its ability to determine contaminants in vaccines and other medications, therefore improving the safety of many drugs and devices used in medical care,” Beam explains. She painted the boat on-site during the pandemic. John C. Doyle Art Gallery, Evening Stroll on Folly, oil on canvas, 20 x 30", by Isaiah Ratterman.

Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Montage, oil on canvas, 18 x 24", by Jesse Powell

Raised in a Mediterranean country by the ocean, contemporary impressionist Janine Salzman has always been attracted to painting seascapes. “Art opens your heart to the beauty of everyday life. Sharing this truth through my paintings adds meaning to my work and hopefully to the life of others,” says Salzman. “There are so many artists today. I have often wondered what can be done that’s new?” Early in her career, she says, she wanted to paint like the masters. “As a result, my work seemed like imitations of well-known painters’ styles. I learned a lot about fundamentals doing this, but my work was stale and lacking the depth and emotion I wanted.” In her paintings today, she’s begun to trust her own instincts, allowing her voice to flow through her brushstrokes and color palette. “Every painting I do now is an experiment in some way. I try to learn something from each piece.” John C. Doyle Art Gallery, Time and Tide, oil on canvas, 30 x 40", by Simon Kenevan.

Jacalyn Beam, Painting the Catcher, oil on conservation linen panel, 11 x 14"

Stone Sparrow NYC in New York will be exhibiting a series of marine art, including works by Niels Corfitzen and Victor Grasso, in an upcoming exhibition titled The Dog Days of Summer, running from June 1 to August 20. The title refers to the expression that is attached to the hottest days of summer, when the sun occupies the same space of the sky as the star Sirius (aka the dog star). More commonly, however, the phrase is used as an expression to convey a time of stagnation. Artwork in the upcoming show will include pieces the gallery has shown during the pandemic that haven’t been seen by many in person, as well as recent works being shown for the first time. While not specifically marine themed, the show carries a summertime theme that relates closely to water and water-based activities. Danish artist Corfitzen, for instance, draws heavily from the strong maritime traditions of his country for inspiration. And Grasso’s works often depict sea creatures on a larger-than-life scale.Stone Sparrow NYC, Sphyrnidae, oil on linen, 40 x 60", by Victor Grasso.

Peter Goodhall, The Boat That I Row, oil on linen canvas, 30 x 50"

International award-winning artist Peter Goodhall has always painted the sea and boats. For 25 years he had the benefit of a cliff top studio with continuous inspiration overlooking the sea. When he wasn’t in the studio, he was frequently out on the sea. With a wealth of experience in traditional and representational marine painting, Goodhall also explores and develops interesting variations in his portrayals of the sea. Many of his recent oil paintings in the Tranquility Series concentrate on sensual forms and ephemeral rhythms that create patterns of movement in clear water. These are painted using a technique of meticulously blending layers of pigment rich oil paint. Top: Jacalyn Beam, Couple, oil on conservation linen panel, 16 x 20"; Stone Sparrow NYC, A Spoonful of Sugar, oil on canvas, 20 x 20", by Niels Corfitzen. Bottom: Peter Goodhall, Tranquillity XXII, oil on linen canvas, 45"; Janine Salzman, Endless Summer, oil on canvas board, 10 x 20"

The collection of seascapes and marine art at Vanessa Rothe Fine Art can be found in the small seaside village of Laguna Beach, California, with marine subjects from all over the world.

From thick palette knife impasto paintings from the Crimean island by Daniil Volkov, to thundering waves crashing on the Pacific shoreline by CW Mundy, John Cosby and Ray Roberts, to the smooth glossy-like surfaces on the calm ocean by award-winning California impressionist Jesse Powell, the gallery focuses heavily on marine themes. Owner and artist Vanessa Rothe includes her own realist-impressionist paintings of colorful boats with reflections in the water of Saint-Tropez and the South of France as well as Portofino, Italy. Although the gallery is located in one of the most famous beach towns in the world, they are proud to send seascapes with seagulls and beautiful custom-commissioned paintings of yachts to clients all over the globe.

Artist Christopher Forrest was raised in an outdoor oriented family, growing up was a mix of scouts, fishing trips, camping and hikes from the Blueridge Mountains of Virginia to Ontario. Subsequently he has wandered, camped and hiked most regions of the United States and four provinces of Canada in search of experiencing the wilderness. When someone sees his work, he hopes they get a sense of being outdoors, followed by the observation that the painter really enjoys what he is creating, and that this all puts a smile on their face.Top: Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Arrifana, oil on board, 8 x 14", by Marc Dalessio; Vanessa Rothe Fine Art, Glistening, oil with palette knife, 16 x 20", by Daniil Volkov. Center: Christopher Forrest, Where’s the Party?, oil on panel, 16 x 20"; Christopher Forrest, Winter Visitors, oil on panel, 14 x 24". Bottom: Palm Avenue Fine Art, 1893 America’s Cup, oil on panel, 30 x 48", by Terry Bailey; Emily James, Sea Beauty, mixed media, 60 x 48"Palm Avenue Fine Art in downtown Sarasota, Florida, has been the gold standard for maritime art of the highest caliber. Among the artists the gallery represents are A.D. Blake from New Zealand, the late Terry Bailey and Shane Michael Couch from Great Britain, and Don Demers and Richard Loud, a few of America’s finest maritime artists. Palm Avenue Fine Art is proud to feature a roster of immensely talented artists who, the gallery notes “will no doubt be important historically.”Stone Sparrow NYC, Water Games, oil on canvas, 20 x 20", by Niels Corfitzen.For a maritime artist in the northeast, the source of inspiration is endless. “Coastal New England is an area of countless harbors, beaches, islands and coves, all unique in their beauty and rich with maritime history,” says Ray Crane. “In my paintings I bring past and present together, depicting locations and scenes that remain largely unchanged over time, with classic sailing vessels that are as familiar today as they were a century ago—while also occasionally introducing ‘newer’ boats that now share the waters.” In most cases, the artist says he also depicts the scene from the perspective of the mariner, looking across the water and back toward land. His paintings, executed in a traditional style, are for the collector who appreciates classical realism in portraying actual scenes and vessels that figure prominently in maritime history. Top: Palm Avenue Fine Art, Crossing the Gulfstream, oil on linen, 44 x 58", by Don Demers; Ray Crane, Answering the Call, from USCG Station Gloucester, oil on canvas, 8 x 14 . Center: Ray Crane, Schooner “Alert" in Home Waters, Bailey/Orr’s Islands, ME, oil on canvas, 12 x 24". Bottom: Palm Avenue Fine Art, 1901 America’s Cup, oil on panel, 24 x 43", by Richard K. Loud; Ray Crane, A Day Downeast - Mt. Desert Island & Cranberry Isles, ME, oil on canvas, 12 x 18"“I always love to paint the active surface of the seashore, and occasionally I make a departure and concentrate on reflections in still water,” says marine artist Emily James, citing a piece she is currently working on. Growing up in Florida, James was always surrounded by water as a child. “My art is my view of the beauty in the world through my eyes. My painting is a visual story of who I am, the world as I see it—always a beautiful place,” she says. “I never tire of painting the sea.” —