John Atwater

Upon receiving a B.F.A. from Washington University Art School in St. Louis, John Atwater worked as a commercial artist. He then devoted all of his time to maritime painting. Much of his work is contemporary, representational and is done in watercolor on paper. The other portion of his work is done in oils and captures the light and atmosphere of the Hudon River and Maine coast.

John Atwater has exhibited widely and won numerous awards. He is president of the Connecticut Watercolor Socitey and a member of the American Watercolor Society and the American Society of Marine Artists.

Vynalhaven

Sally Fisher

Sally Caldwell Fisher is originally from the Midwest. She graduated from the University of Michigan in 1972 and moved to New England shortly thereafter. She describes her style of work, which is still evolving, as naive realism. Sally's marine work can be found in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian and in private collections throughout the country, as well as in some rather far-flung parts of the world. She has published her work exclusively with Mystic Seaport and has created images for magazines, cookbooks, and cards. She has also exhibited extensively in the New England area.

Boothbay Harbor Yauht Club

John Mecray

Coronet

John Mecray's paintings and limited-edition prints have earned him an international reputation for excellence.

Mecray grew up in Cape May, New Jersey, one block from the ocean. He graduated from Philadelphia College of Art, majoring in illustration and painting. He worked as a freelance illustrator before graduating and then taught at the school after graduating. He moved to Newport, Rhode Island in 1976 to devote all of his time to marine painting.

Nine offshore yacht deliveries between New England, Bermuda and the Caribbean have given the artist a personal knowledge of the effects of wind, sea, and light on a variety of sailing vessels. His masterful paintings of classic racing yachts clearly convey the feeling of their power and grace.

A deep interest in yachts and yachting history led Mecray to establish The Museum of Yachting and the museum's annual Classic Yacht Regatta in Newport. He is also founder and trustee of the International Yacht Restoration School, where his major focus is the restoration of the nation's most historic yacht: the schooner Coronet. He is also a member of the Yachting Committee at Mystic Seaport, the New York Yacht Club, the Fort Worth Boat Club, the National Maritime Historical Society, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and the Herreshoff Marine Museum.

Geoff Hunt

Geoff Hunt is a member of the Royal Society of Marine Artists and a Trustee since 1992. He is best recognized for painting the covers of the Patrick O'Brian novels, described by the New York Times as "The best historical novels ever written." After formal art-school training, Geoff worked in marine publishing where he aquired a love of marine history and the historical research that is such a remarkable feature of his work. Since spending a year in the Mediterranean in 1979 he has devoted himself entirely to marine painting.

Letter of Marque

John Ruseau

John Ruseau's love of drawing and painting is visually communicated through rich colors; sharp shadows; simple, strong compositions; and a complexity of details. Early training as an architect helped to develop his meticulous style and painting techniques in the Beaux Art tradition. After retiring from the faculty of the University of Virginia, John focused on his art full time, opening a gallery and painting while he explores the world on his motorcycle and sailboat.

Longboat

Tim Thompson

Tim Thompson, born in Hull, England, in 1951, is a self-taught painter and one of the few young marine artists utilizing traditional oil techniques. By placing layer upon layer of translucent wash on canvas, Thompson is able to produce a luminosity that is rarely seen in contemporary marine paintings. Displaying an elegance and sophistication reminiscent of works by the 19th-century masters of marine art, his works are widely collected by marine art connoisseurs around the world. He has exhibited in Mystic, Connecticut, Washington, D.C., London, Belgium, germany, and Australia at the Royal Society of Marine Artists Exhibitions.

Britannia & Satanita

Willard Bond

Take Down

Willard Bond was born in the Pacific Northwest and grew up on Lake Couer d'Alene in northern Idaho. After working with the Forest Service, he joined the navy and acquired experience on battleships, cruisers, and destroyer escorts.

In 1976 Bond returned to New York, where he began painting square-rigged ships. He contunued to explore sailing and the sea and started painting the contemporary racing scene. He got involved in the America's cup series and got onboard experience on world-class racing yachts.

Willard Bond is a graduate of Pratt Institute and is a fellow member of the American Society of Marine Artists. He has been published in Sea History, Nautical Quarterly, and The Yacht.

Charles W. Mundy

Charles W. Mundy received his B.A. at Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. He looks for a romance and harmony in his paintings. His paintings have been exhibited widely and are in many private and corporate colelctions.

Carol Dyer

Carol Dyer is an accomplished Maryland painter of early America traditions. She is well known for her "Washington Christmas Series." These paintings of historic buildings have commanded significant audiences throughout the country. Authenticity and meticulous attention to detail are trademarks of her paintings, which celebrates the different aspects of American life at the turn of the century. She often remarks that "One should read my paintings like a book."

Tidewater Days

Her works can be found in the Smithsonian and Library of Congress. During summer months, Carol is the folk-artist-in-residence of Bethany Beach, Delaware, where she has gained recognition for her landmarks of the Delaware seashore. Mystic Seaport, The Museum of America and the Sea, is the exclusive representative of Carol Dyer's works.

Don Demers

One of the leaders of the new generation of marine artists, Don Demers has had a life-long love of the sea. He attended the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts, and concluded his formal studies at the Massachusetts College of Art. Experience as a crew member on several traditional sailing vessels allows him to bring to life these ships of a bygone era with breathtaking accuracy. Don's work has appeared in several national publications, including Yankee, Sail Magazine, Down East, Yachting, and Nautical Quarterly. He is a member of the American Society of Marine Artists and the Society of Illustrators.