The John Stobart Project – Chapter 8 – My Other All Time Hero
The painting (above) as it was last touched by John, now on my easel here in Mystic.
Finishing a John Stobart Painting
I am deeply honored to have been asked by John Stobart’s widow (and head of the Stobart Foundation) to finish a painting of South Street (at his request) he was unable to complete before his passing early this year. I will be regularly chronicling my progress finishing the piece using John’s notes, research, methods and materials in a series of blog posts, below:
John left an astonishing number of unfinished canvasses behind — literally dozens of meticulously, personally prepared canvasses in all manner of size and (in)completion. Most, I would say, were very early ideas quickly sketched in oil and put aside, no more than perhaps a half an hour’s work. Lots of them showed more development, and yet remained incomplete, reflecting John’s ongoing thoughtfulness of the composition, or subject matter, only to be put aside to pick up again someday. How sad for us that so much of this work was unrealized, and yet each reflects a master class in the artist’s thinking and craft. Thankfully, though, he signed every one before his passing, authentic John Stobart paintings all.
It was of course a great privilege to be in his company and that of many of the world’s great marine artists whom he called friends, gathered at his Westport home each summer to enjoy his and Anne’s warm company. One of these artists is the great J. Steven Dews, one of my all time heroes, and I am proud to say I introduced the two of them, though each was well aware of the other, of course. I discovered Steven’s work early in my career, and dog-eared and smudged paint throughout his volume “A Cloud Of Sail” . This is a must-have book for any marine artist’s library. You can see Steven’s extraordinary paintings here.
One of Steven’s extraordinary works (above)
Several years ago, in my capacity as President of the ASMA, I invited Steven, whom I had never met but heard was on his beautiful yacht WOLFHOUND in Newport, to come to Mystic for the Society’s Marine Art Conference. Once he heard that HIS hero, John Stobart would be in attendance, they beat the schooner all day into a wicked head sea and arrived just in time. To hear these two Englishmen never stop talking that night over shared adventures and interests warmed my heart. They struck up a lasting friendship and it was wonderful for me to participate in many adventures with them as well. Steven and I too have become good friends and it is amazing to me that he is as generous with his insights and knowledge of painting and as eager to share with others as John was.
Steven and his charming wife Louise live aboard most of the time, and have had WOLFHOUND seemingly all over the world. When not at sea, Steven seeks temporary studio space in whatever port they find themselves, and are currently in California before venturing north to Canada and Alaska this summer. Last summer, after John’s passing, Anne graciously offered their beautiful Westport house — and John’s studio — to Steven to paint several commissions he had on order.
Next: Chapter 9: Discovering some additional earlier images of the Brooklyn Bridge Painting
