Night Sail

Over the winter lunch hours I was reading a book on the life and paintings of
William Bradford, Sailing Ships and Arctic Seas by Richard C. Kugler. He lived in
the early- mid 1800’s and worked in New Bedford and painted sailing vessels and
traveled far north on expeditions to paint icebergs.
Some of his letters describe his fascination with the surreal colors of the frozen
waters and he could paint the heck out of a tall ship on a roiling sea.

Last fall I bought an old oar from Jane Slater’s antique shop in Menemsha.
I usually walk out of there with a bag full of old teacups and she pointed me this
time in the direction of one with a nautical flag and logo of unknown origin.
She thought it might work in a yachting theme of some sort
and that seed germinated for several months.

At home in the studio, with the seafaring world of WB swimming around in my
thoughts, and the oar leaning tall and crusty in the corner by the door, I gathered
them and the little teacup and set to work.

I won’t reveal the secret of how we got that sail to soar but it did involve
Pat’s patient fingers posing for hours…
and dental floss.
Maybe that’s why she says its one of her favorites.