Edward

While in St. Augustine I went by my friend Edward's sail loft. We go back a long way and he has repaired sails, made covers for my boats, and helped me out uncountable times. He co-founded SPARS, a not-for-profit that teaches kids to sail in Optimist prams. If you're ever blown out or just down that way let me know and I'll give you directions...

Ed always looked good in pink

It's in there somewhere

Ordered chaos. Old guys seem to like to work that way.

Just Back from St. Augustine

We saw our old friends, ate good food, played a lot of music and enjoyed the beaches of Coastal Georgia and North Florida. Here are some pics from a day on the St Johns River...

Early Morning

The streets are like glass. Took a walk.. more of a slide.. and noticed a hibernating skiff snoozing under a white comforter. Wanted to wake her up but thought better of it.

Better pay attention. Working on my snow legs. 

Staying Warm on Land and at Sea

I am restoring my Dad's old Sunny Jim wood stove that he had in his workshop for as long as I can remember. My cousin rescued it from Dad's house before it sold and we picked it up on a trip to North Carolina this past weekend. It will be a welcome addition to the studio although much of this winter has passed.

Stove Black saves the day

Wood stoves are great in most any situation, but onboard a traditional sailboat... I believe that's the best. If I had a bit larger cabin (Annie is just to small) and a deep pocket- the Sardine would be first choice. The green enamel one below is on the Scandinavian workboat/yacht Sjogin. More here.

What's not to like?

I did have a small wood stove on my first boat Quelle. A picture is buried in our Florida storage but here is a shot that shows the Charlie Noble chimney on the bottom right.

Winged out in late afternoon, 1979

So grab your stocking cap and some fat lighter, cook the coffee and unplug the bottle of Irish! The rest of the winter will be fine. Just sayin'.

Twisted Stave

After a planning meeting at Deltaville Maritime a few of us dropped by Capt. Crunch's sign shop where a few volunteers were building a 1/2 scale model of a deadrise fishing boat. It will be an interactive in the new exhibit building...

Russell shapes staves that cross plank the bow. The model is being built upside down
and will be flipped once the 'underwater' part of the hull is completed

John England inspects the stave. It has been band sawed out of thicker
stock to form the twisted shape needed at that point.

Looking aft. The stem is at the bottom left, the keel running back,
and the chine on the bottom right.

The horn timber curves to bring the flat aft end up to the
surface of the water. This is to create the bouyancy needed to semi-plane...
desired in a fast running Chesapeake fishing boat.

Deadrise at work
Painting ©Curt Bowman 2013

New Work

I have just finished the small work in a series that comes from my sailing. A departure from my more representational paintings. Back to the easel...

QuayGlyph #9, Oil, mahogany veneer, zinc powder and
laser transfer on steel, 15" x15"
© Curt Bowman 2014, All rights reserved

More at CurtisBowman.com

           then click Painting, Fine Art: On the Quay

Space for Spars

We're in our new house and I have just finished off my workshop/studio. It's an out building so often lately I have been trudging out there through the snow. Although many of my friends 'creatively' comment about the winter here, I am quite liking it. We are predicted another blast tonight. Soups on...

Early morning white

Hanging insulation... a necessary itch

Ready to paint and as my friend Capt. Jay said, "a space for spars"

A Phoenix Rises

Last week I drove over to Deltaville, Virginia to consult on a museum project. The Deltaville Maritime Museum is rebuilding after a devastating fire in 2012 that took the museum building, the attached pavilion, several boats and much of the collection and exhibits. It is a volunteer-based institution and they have come back strong.

Photo: Larry Chowning

A new pavilion, comprised of a large kitchen and multi-purpose hall, as well as a new exhibit and office building have been constructed. Grants are in place to start exhibit development and everyone is working hard to "rise again".

A retrospective of John Barber's paintings of the Chesapeake will be the first exhibit opening in April with much more to come. I am really looking forward to being a part of this worthwhile endeavor.

New Museum Building and Exhibit Hall

Open architecture with clerestory windows

Cold is a Relative Term

Today we drove to the Bay to check on Annie and to take a painting to the gallery in Mathews. It was a bright, clear day in the 30's and climbing down below reminded me of cold nights out in early trips. She was dry and had a crisp, still feel aboard. Asleep awaiting the spring when her 'mates'... wind and water join in again.

After returning home and a nice dinner we watched the second episode of Chasing Shackleton on PBS Video Online. Extreme sailors and mountaineers attempt to recreate the heroic rescue voyage of the polar explorer. It is a grueling endeavor with great scenes of a relentless Southern Ocean off Antarctica. I grabbed a blanket about half way through. Recommended.

Finding Treasures

It is cold and raining outside and a good afternoon to organize and sort out files in our new house. Came upon images of a working marina with railways that led into towering man-cut caverns used to shelter work in progress. I had sketched there, taking in the remnants of material culture and maritime traditions that the setting offered me alone that afternoon.


On location: Marina di Cassano, Sant A'gnello, Campania, Italy  2006

c. early 20th century view

Shore Side and Return to the Scull

2013 is over and I for one am glad. Many things happened both good and bad. And although sailing the Chesapeake was great I believe 2014 will be even better.

On New Years Day we started moving into our new (old) house in Richmond. Since leaving St. Augustine in the spring of 2012 we have lived in a tent and a series of apartments. This self-chosen 'vagabond' lifestyle was quite an education. We came to realize that we need another "base camp" to venture out from. Think we found a nice one.

The Old Home Place

Annie is buttoned up tight and weathering the winter at Gwynn's Island. When it warms a bit (mighty cold this coming week) I plan to go over, camp at the marina and return to maintenance jobs that have been on hold. While there I'll be checking in with my gallery in Mathews and the good folks at Deltaville Maritime Museum where I'm consulting on their new exhibits. 

The end of the year blog check revealed that the post on Annie's sculling oar is still the most viewed. I hope others have tried the design or modified it for the better. I still would like to hollow out the blade's underside to roll down in the water and hopefully get more thrust. We'll see...

Photo by Steve Earley

Happy for the Nice Press

While at The Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival I was asked to write a bit about my painting. It turned up in the winter issue of Ash Breeze, the journal of the Traditional Small Craft Association. Thanks to Andy Wolfe and Mike Wick.   Click here to view on page 6...

First Out, Last In

Really fine seafood is harvested on the Chesapeake's western shore of Virginia. This year I was lucky to get some of the best oysters I can remember. And there were a few fine crabcakes as well.

Watermen that work the Bay off The Hole in the Wall, along the Pianktank and length of the Rappahannock are close to this often trying environment... up and out even in the coldest months. Here's a Happy Holiday to them and their families. Thank you for the treats.

First Out, Last In
Watercolor on Arches paper
© Curt Bowman 2013

Night Fishing

Although I studied ichthyology in graduate school, researched white sharks in South Africa and cook a tasty Huachinango a la Veracruzana... I am not a fisherman. In fact you could probably count the fish I've caught on your fingers and toes. That includes trash on the line.

I do see a bit of poetry in it. Especially the lone fisherman. I am trying to capture that in my painting.

Moonlight on East River, Mathews County
© Curt Bowman 2013

Hideout

A couple of months ago I rented a garage in an alley in the Museum District, a few blocks from where we live. It is a nice walk and a quiet sanctuary where work can be done. Annie is put up for the winter and her spars are hanging on the wall awaiting a bit of renewal and next spring season. 

Working on a large series of paintings on steel. They blend maritime tradition and the non-objective. In process...

A place for lists

Oil and transfer on steel

Palette

Hipster table

Memories

Reference

Never too many shelves

At the Easel

Finishing up on a commission for my friend Michael. Painting is a bit like a sailing trip. You give your best, take some chances and see how it all comes out...

Who needs a food truck...

via Daisy II  (photo courtesy of Richard and Carol Clammer)

Looking (Way) Back

I have been organizing my photo files and came upon images of my first boat. She was my home in the late 70's and these pics bring back lots of memories. Her name was Quelle, an English Alan Buchanan-designed Spartan, carvel planked of African mahogany on steamed black oak frames. 23' on deck, 6' 6" beam and 4' of draft. I hope she still sails as sweet and whomever sails her loves her half as much as I did.

Day of departure, Kitty Hawk, NC

On the railway

Down below

Fresh

Overtaking a pinky schooner, offshore St. Augustine, FL

Wing and wing

Film 'Takes'

To be truthful Captain Phillips was more of a nail-biter for me. There is just something about a guy with a gun that you don't understand what he's saying. All is Lost plods along. I guess I have contemplated his situation over the years and have read so many stories that it was not that shocking. Not that I ever want to be in his situation. It was rough to say the least.

Edge of My Seat?

I'm off to the early movie. All is Lost just opened in Richmond. Single-handed and lost at sea. Last night my daughter and I saw Captain Phillips. Hijacked at sea. How much suspense can a guy take in 24 hrs? We'll see...