Lost to the Sea: Willard Beach Fishing Shacks
24” x 24,” encaustic on panel
OK, this painting is (clearly!!) a departure for me, as my art is focused on capturing moments of beauty and joy. But I was intrigued by the call to art for an exhibit on the theme of global warming and decided to try something a little different - my first piece of political statement art. The resulting painting, "Lost to the Sea," was featured in the Global Warming is Real exhibit at the Museum of Encaustic Art in Santa Fe, NM from October 2024 through June 2025. It is now in my home studio and available for purchase.
The painting depicts the loss of the iconic fishing shacks at Fisherman’s Point near Willard Beach in South Portland, Maine during the January 2024 storm surge. My painting captures one of the shacks as it is being swept away. I embedded navigational charts of Casco Bay into the walls and piers to symbolize the structure being claimed by the waters.
Here's my artist statement that describes the inspiration for this piece:
"The Gulf of Maine, 36,000 square miles of water stretching from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia, is warming faster than 99% of the world’s oceans. Three times as fast, according to one study. Water temperatures in the Gulf matter because it is home to rare whales, the Atlantic puffin, core fish stocks such as cod and haddock, and the $1.5 billion U.S. lobster industry.
In January of 2024, a storm surge at high tide destroyed two iconic fishing shacks that had stood on Fisherman’s Point in South Portland, Maine since the late 1800s. Originally built to store fishing gear, they had come to serve as the setting for countless marriage proposals and milestone celebrations. They were also a frequent subject for photographers and painters. Widely shared videos showing the buildings being toppled and swallowed by the angry seas created a surge of nostalgia.
My painting captures one of the shacks as it is being swept away. I embedded navigational charts of Casco Bay into the walls and piers to symbolize the structure being claimed by the waters.
Although many have pushed to rebuild the shacks, I feel Fisherman’s Point should remain empty, serving as a stark reminder that things cannot go back to the way they were before global warming. Unless drastic policy changes are made, more and more of our coast, and our way of life, will be lost to the sea."
24” x 24,” encaustic on panel
OK, this painting is (clearly!!) a departure for me, as my art is focused on capturing moments of beauty and joy. But I was intrigued by the call to art for an exhibit on the theme of global warming and decided to try something a little different - my first piece of political statement art. The resulting painting, "Lost to the Sea," was featured in the Global Warming is Real exhibit at the Museum of Encaustic Art in Santa Fe, NM from October 2024 through June 2025. It is now in my home studio and available for purchase.
The painting depicts the loss of the iconic fishing shacks at Fisherman’s Point near Willard Beach in South Portland, Maine during the January 2024 storm surge. My painting captures one of the shacks as it is being swept away. I embedded navigational charts of Casco Bay into the walls and piers to symbolize the structure being claimed by the waters.
Here's my artist statement that describes the inspiration for this piece:
"The Gulf of Maine, 36,000 square miles of water stretching from Cape Cod to Nova Scotia, is warming faster than 99% of the world’s oceans. Three times as fast, according to one study. Water temperatures in the Gulf matter because it is home to rare whales, the Atlantic puffin, core fish stocks such as cod and haddock, and the $1.5 billion U.S. lobster industry.
In January of 2024, a storm surge at high tide destroyed two iconic fishing shacks that had stood on Fisherman’s Point in South Portland, Maine since the late 1800s. Originally built to store fishing gear, they had come to serve as the setting for countless marriage proposals and milestone celebrations. They were also a frequent subject for photographers and painters. Widely shared videos showing the buildings being toppled and swallowed by the angry seas created a surge of nostalgia.
My painting captures one of the shacks as it is being swept away. I embedded navigational charts of Casco Bay into the walls and piers to symbolize the structure being claimed by the waters.
Although many have pushed to rebuild the shacks, I feel Fisherman’s Point should remain empty, serving as a stark reminder that things cannot go back to the way they were before global warming. Unless drastic policy changes are made, more and more of our coast, and our way of life, will be lost to the sea."