“View From Camp Albemarle” 8″ x 10″ Acrylic on Canvas, Framed
AVAILABLE:
North Carolina Seafood Festival
September 30 – October 2, 2011
“ArtSplendor” aboard the Mega-Yacht, SeaFair
http://www.expoships.com/current_fairs/2011/north_carolina/about.html
Portside Marina
209 Arendell Street
Morehead City, NC
“Bill Collector and Sensation” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
In painting the Bill Collector and the Sensation on the Morehead City waterfront, I began to ponder the naming of vessels – one of the most enduring traditions of the sea. (After all, you have to think of something when you paint!) I love the “play on words” when a captain names a boat. Boats are historically named after women.
I’m hoping that the Titanic was not named after a woman. However, I do know of a certain boat, Tritanic, which was named by three brothers whose previous boat, sank (or more appropriately - was sunk.)
So, as I mentioned, many boats are named after women: Maggie, Peggy, Caroline, Ava D, Sandra D, Annie C, Barbara B, Jeanie B, Miss Tammy, Miss Judy, Lady Sarah, Lady Faye, Lady Barbara, Bluewater Lady, Fight-N-Lady, Carolina Lady, Carolina Princess, Kristy Kay, Island Girl, Callie Girl, Diamond Girl, and Georgy Girl.
Times have changed, of course. And the selection of a boat name can be an art form such as the following: Pelagic- Greek for “open sea;” Serefe -Turkish for “cheers;” Apsara - female spirit of the clouds and waters in Hindu and Buddhist mythology; Avra – Greek for ”breeze;” Halcyon - an adjective meaning calm, peaceful or tranquil; and Styrbjörn - Old Norse for “the strong.”
Then there are those that Jimmy Buffet might like, such as It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere, Impulse, Dancin’ Outlaw, and Kee West. For those who prefer country music, George Jones’ voice comes alive on Hello Darlin’.
Boat names also seem to be derived from happy experiences during their summer escapes. Consider the following: Release, Islander, Carolina Time, Inspiration, Great Escape, Magic Moment, Reel Dreams, Some Kinda Good and No Problem.
With a name like Frayed Knot, Cardinal Sin or Never Easy, you wonder if boaters’ feel a bit guilty for having so much fun on the open water.
The Beagle is the only boat I have seen with his own mascot.
Then there are those who just can’t help but take a little of their work with them. I’m guessing that Miss Calculation is probably owned by a CPA, Mental Floss by a dentist, Wet Floors by people in the floor business, Bobbin by a textile mill, Megabyte by a computer geek, Class Action by a lawyer, Citation by a policeman, Miss Demeanor by a judge or policeman, Welder’s Ark by a welding company, Chainlink by a fence company, Frequent Flyer by a traveling businessman, and Resuscitation by a doctor.
My theory is that the Penta Gone from Chesapeake, VA works for the Pentagon.
There are names that are derived from the names of captains and boat owners. Examples include: Captain Phillips for the Phillips family, Dun Rite for the Dun family, MoBoat for Amo, Jim Dandy for Jim, Tailwalker for the Walker family, Fishinnant for the Hinneant family, James Joyce II for James Joyce, Reel Jim for Jim, Haphazard for Hap, and Bizzy B for the Bizzell family. The one where I was privy to spend most of my boating hours was ARKangel, a play on my husband’s initials and his saintly nickname.
I am not sure that I would want to run into Rodeo or Safari on the open waters.
“Sea” appears to be the most popular name: Sea Striker, Sea Spud, Sea|Sea, Sea Toy, Sea Hag, Seaweed, Sea Creature, and Sea Dancer II. There are boat names that relate specifically to fishing: Offshore, Yellowfin, Marlin and Marlin Fever.
I am completely confused by Pig Rig.
There are those boats whose captains I imagine push the envelope a bit: Wet-N-Wild, Skirt Chaser, Outlaw, Reel Affair, Risky Business, Strip Teaser, Knot Accountable, Hooligan and Piracy.
There’s a boat called Dawg Haus, which could be a guy who seeks the ship’s refuge when he is not getting along with his wife.
If I were giving a prize for the most clever boat name, It would have to be Fahr Frum Wurken. I’m not sure if the owner is of German descent, or owns a Volkswagen, but he definitely has the right attitude toward relaxing unless, of course, the boat is actually not running.
Endorfin is also quite clever for the energetic fisherman.
According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea. (Perhaps this is why Neptune, still stands watch over the fishing boats on the Morehead City waterfront today.)
A special thanks to the Bill Collector, Captain Stephen Draughon and the Sensation, Captain Dale Britt of Morehead City, N.C. for allowing me to paint their boats.
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“Bill Collector and Sensation” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
Now Available: Arts & Things Gallery, Morehead City, N.C.
“Provisioning for the Pamlico Sound” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Provisioning for the Pamlico Sound” is the latest addition to the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series. The painting illustrates the Miss Gwendolyn being loaded with ice for a week-long trip to the Pamlico Sound in pursuit of shrimp.
“Moored on the White Oak” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Moored on the White Oak is a familiar scene for those who live and visit Swansboro. This is a view from the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market dock and also part of the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series.
“Vern III” 14″ x 11″ Acrylic on Canvas
Vern continues to be the most popular subject in the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series. I dedicate another painting to Vern and for those who continue to see him as an integral part of the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market and Swansboro community. Here’s to you, Vern! 
The Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series is available at Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro, N.C. in their brand new gallery on Main Street!
To view the entire series online, visit the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series on my Web site:
Clyde's I
Clyde’s Seafood Market I is a 16″ x 20″ framed acrylic on canvas. (sold)
Clyde's II
Clyde’s Seafood Market II is a 12″ x 24″ acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas.
Both paintings are part of the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series. Visit or call Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro, N.C. for more on this series.
The Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series – available at Tidewater Gallery, Swansboro, N. C.
The series includes the following paintings:
(Prints are also available)
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“Vern Weighing Shrimp” 14″ x 11″ Acrylic on Canvas -Original SOLD
“Clyde’s Treasures” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Hung Out to Dry” 11″x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Rinsing Shrimp” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas -Original SOLD
“Icing Shrimp” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Miss Gwendolyn’s Oilskins” 16” x 16” Acrylic on Canvas
“Vern II” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas -Original SOLD
“Clyde’s I” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas -Original SOLD
“Clyde’s II” 12″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
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If you are visiting the Crystal Coast this fall, stop by Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro and check out the new works!
Sharon Kearns and Ray Voelpel, owner of Tidewater Gallery
The Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series arrived at Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro, N.C. on Saturday, August 28th. Ray Voelpel, owner of the gallery, announced the new series with a gathering of friends and local artists. It was a wonderful way to celebrate with such an extraordinary group of people!
A heartfelt thanks goes to Ray, and his wife Jan, for hosting such a very special evening!
As well, I owe a sincere “thank-you” to Phillip for the inspiration for the Clyde Phillips series!
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The Clyde Phillips Seafood Market series includes the following paintings:
“Vern Weighing Shrimp” 14″ x 11″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Clyde’s Treasures” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Hung Out to Dry” 11″x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Rinsing Shrimp” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Icing Shrimp” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Miss Gwendolyn’s Oilskins” 16” x 16” Acrylic on Canvas
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If you are visiting the Crystal Coast for the Labor Day holiday, stop by Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro and check out the new works!
“Miss Gwendolyn’s Oilskins” 16″ x 16″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Miss Gwendolyn’s Oilskins” is the sixth painting in the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market collection.
This painting highlights several hanging pairs of luminescent, waterproof slickers blowing in the breeze on the side of the Miss Gwendolyn shrimp boat. Miss Gwendolyn is a shrimp boat docked along the pier outside of Clyde Phillips Seafood Market. I was intrigued by the glow of the oilskins in and of themselves. But I was further enthralled by the reflections of the slickers radiating above in the boat’s eve and below along the railing. I also wanted to capture the window and the reflection of the pilings and boat across from Miss Gwendolyn.
“Icing Shrimp” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas
“Icing Shrimp” is the fifth painting in the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market collection.
In the back of Clyde Phillips Seafood market, Jimmy Phillips is pouring shrimp from the scales into a corrugated box to prepare for packaging. The “Miss Gwendolyn” shrimp boat captain scooped ice directly from a gigantic ice pile in the freezer room and will shovel it onto the freshly caught shrimp.
Again, I was amazed by the darkness of the work area, lit only by the open bay doors. The sunlit illumination of the men working and the wet glow of the floor were creative elements I wanted to convey in this painting.
The old seafood markets, like Clyde Phillips, are quickly becoming obsolete – a thing of the past. With each painting in this series, I have felt more and more compelled to create an enduring, creative representation of the Clyde Phillips Seafood Market story -the story of one old little North Carolina seafood market that continues to engage and impact their coastal community.
“Rinsing Shrimp” 16″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas (sold)
“Rinsing Shrimp” is the fourth painting in the Clyde Phillips Seafood series.
The painting depicts Jimmy Phillips and his helper in the back of the seafood market. They are pouring freshly caught shrimp into an old bathtub. Water is pouring through a hose to cleanse the shrimp. Jimmy will take a large strainer to gently stir the shrimp around in the tub. He will pick out small squid and other “undesirable” urchins and remove them from the tub. From there, the shrimp are strained and ladled onto hanging scales to be weighed. Icing and packaging become the final steps.
The back area of the seafood market is lit only from the sunlight shining through the bay doors. The backdrop lighting illuminates the two men, providing an interesting glow and shadowing effect that I wanted to capture. The cool, wet floor with all its textures radiates with golden color from the sunlight. Through the bay doors, the fishing docks and boats reflect the bright white of the mid-day sun.
“Vern Weighing Shrimp” 14″ x 11″ Acrylic on Canvas (sold)
“Vern Weighing Shrimp” is the first of a series of paintings from Clyde Phillips Seafood in Swansboro, NC, that will soon be available at Tidewater Gallery in Swansboro.
Over a two-day period some weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend many hours at Clyde Phillips Seafood taking pictures and learning more about the fishing industry in Swansboro. Clyde Phillips is one of the few remaining “old-timey” seafood markets in North Carolina. No doubt the market has been freshened up over the years. However, Clyde’s still retains many of the old “look and feel” traditions of seafood markets that are fast diminishing in this country.
As I walk in the front door, all of my senses are immediately alerted to the fact that I am in a seafood market. It is easy to imagine that things have not changed radically over the years at Clyde’s - even with freshly painted white walls, bright, tropical green trim, and comfortably padded rocking chairs for “staying and visiting awhile.” Old, black and white photographs of commercial fishing boats and crew from days long past adorn the walls like trophies. New colored photos join the old on the walls to help create a virtual history of this special place and the community it serves. Customers, both local and summer vacationers, form a steady stream into the market to see the catch that has just arrived and make their selections for the evening’s dinner.
My many visits to the Swansboro area indicate to me that Clyde Phillips is truly adored by the Swansboro community and it’s summer tourists. It is as though everyone knows that one day Clyde’s will no longer be as it is today - a thriving, vibrant hub for fresh, local seafood… a place where old-timers still tell stories of days past.. and locals share their life-long passion and enthusiasm with a stranger who says she wants to paint pictures of their day’s work.
I had the opportunity to see fishing boats and shrimpers coming in to deliver the day’s catch in the back of the market. Fascinated, I keenly surveyed the seafood coming off the boats, being cleaned, weighed, iced down and packaged for shipping… and asked a lot of questions. Proudly, all questions were met with answers to help educate this unfamiliar observer. I watched other ships being loaded with ice to depart for a week-long trip to the Pamlico Sound. Throughout my visit, I had the freedom to just follow around the fishermen and the Clyde’s staff just to see what would happen next.
I met fishermen – captains and crew - who not surprisingly told some tall fishing tales of times long gone. One gentleman, a local photographic chronicler of Clyde’s, shared his own digital photos from his camera with me. I impressed upon him that I was not there to “take his job,” but only to take pictures for my artwork.
As well, I was able to watch the guy’s at Clyde’s cleaning fish and shrimp to be freshly and immediately prepared for retail sales. In the painting above, Vern was weighing freshly caught shrimp for a regular customer’s purchase. In the background, there are a couple of kids checking the latest news on their PDA’s. Ahh… the old – and the new – both have a home at Clyde’s!
I do not know Vern’s story or how he ended up at Clyde’s, but I do know that he is beloved by the locals and tourists alike. I do not usually paint people, as this is not my strength… However I found Vern to be an interesting character – a character I felt compelled to try to paint as accurately as possible. My sense is that he has a story to tell… a much longer story than my brush can bristle. I wanted to find a way to somehow memorialize Vern’s work at Clyde’s as one of the familiar and cherished staples of the Swansboro community… And, in Vern’s words.. “Maybe we’ll be famous!”
Here’s to you, Vern!
I owe a sincere “thank-you” to Jimmy Phillips and the crew at Clyde Phillips Seafood! Stay tuned! There is much more to come!
"Today's Catch" 2010 North Carolina Seafood Festival poster by Sharon Kearns can be purchased by calling the North Carolina Seafood Festival office: 252-726-6273 or visiting www.ncseafoodfestival.org
"Today's Catch" was voted the 2010 Best Festival Poster at Carolina ShowFest 2011!
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