marineMARINE ARTart ASMA Newsletterin Australia April 2011 No.62 above: HMS Beagle Fair Wind, Warwick Webb by Ross Shardlow FASMA left: Mr John Hannan becomes ASMA's first Patron. Presentation by ASMA President Robert Carter OAM, FASMA. right: Beginning oil painting of Paddle Steamer Collaroy see p 4 by Derek Morgan FASMA IN THIS ISSUE • President’s Message - p 2 Articles for publication in the • Lovett Gallery Exhibition - Greg Guy - p 2 Newsletter are always welcome. • Rebirth of a Paddler - Derek Morgan - p 4 • His Ships and their Setting - Ross Shardlow - p 6 • Cruising Helmsman - Jack Woods - p 8 • ASMA National Exhibition Parliament House 2010 - p 10 Ian Hansen, artist aboard James Craig Peeling Away Time, Martin Campbell Oswald Brett celebrates 91 years • WBS Plein Air, Street Art, AIR & ASMA Exhibition - p 11 • New Members - p 12 - 15 Deadline for next Issue - 30 August 2011 2012 | No. 63 A S M A M A R I N E · A R T · i n · a u s t r a l i a · 2 0 1 2 John Hannan, Patron IN THIS ISSUE: CURRENT OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY James Craig voyage - artist on board 3 Ian Hansen PRESIDENT Robert Carter OAM 02 9913 8520 [email protected] 4 . Writer in Residence Report Janetta Russell VICE PRESIDENTS NSW: John Sweaney Peeling Away Time, 4–5 (02) 9349 7780 [email protected] a painting by Martin Campbell Janetta Russell QLD: Don Braben (07) 3820 9492 [email protected] SS Casino – That Fateful Day 6–7 SA: John Ford Phil Suter (08) 8449 3987 [email protected] TAS: Greg Guy (03) 6297 8541 [email protected] Oswald Brett – Marine Artist 8–10 Bruce Stannard VIC: Julian Bruere 0419 529 390 [email protected] President’s Medal WA: Ross Shardlow 11–13 (08) 9361 0170 1 – Selection criteria [email protected] 2 – 2010 award 14 3 – 2011 award 15 . ASMA MAIL ADDRESS Dean Claflin Editor Craftsmanship in Ship Models 16–19 [email protected] Is it any longer a reliable measure of worth? 27 Curtis Road Balmain 2041 Michel Laroche or PO Box 1342 Rozelle 2039 . Conrad's Narcissus 20–21 The ASMA Newsletters have grown Ross Shardlow from being a simple page of ASMA information into two publications: The Bulletin for members and theNewsletter for wider reading. To keep the numerical progress of our publications new Marine Art in President's Message 22 Australia will be numbered 63, Robert Carter OAM which is what the next Newsletter would have been. To symbolize our new endeavour we have used Warwick Webb's painting Fair Wind to set a new course. Marine Art in Australia 23 Peter Yeomans www.marineartistsaustralia.com.au A S M A M A R I N E · A R T · i n · a u s t r a l i a · 2 0 1 2 When I lost my small brush, James Craig Voyage Hugh very kindly gave me one of his. The camaraderie on board Feb-Mar 2011 the ship has always been a From Hobart to Port Jackson wonderful thing. I had crewed on board We left Hobart on February 23rd James Craig in 2005 on in quiet conditions, but by the her initial trip to Hobart time we had motored into Storm and back, I seemed to Bay a fine 25-30 knot SW wind have made a has us sailing beautifully. The reasonable impression master John Dikkenberg (ex because they invited RAN) is a firm believer in “James me back for this year’s Craig is a sailing ship therefore we trip. Unfortunately I will sail.” Some of our watches were in extremely light could not do both legs winds, we continued to sail which really tested the steering so I opted for the abilities of the less experienced. When the wind is over 20 return voyage. When I knots she is an absolute treasure to steer. Going aloft is signed on I was always a great experience, even in hazardous conditions. It surprised to find I was a could be wet, cold, dark and windy but the job must be topman in the fore- completed and by the time you are back on deck with the watch. Topmen (there are two each watch) are usually other climbers there is a great feeling of satisfaction. the more experienced seamen who climb aloft, they co- Lookout is another favourite trick for me, at night you must ordinate the furling of sails and over haul buntlines stay on the forecastle deck but during daylight hours you when setting sail. This was all very gratifying except I can go out onto the jib boom which gives you a far better realised my climbing certificate was now out of date. I view of the horizon. You can look down and see the bow of would have to re-qualify before I could carry out my the ship cleaving a path through the deep blue of the open duties. ocean, albatross are normally gliding all around the ship, Others tasks required by the watch members are and above you the graceful curves of jibs and staysail quartermaster (steering the ship) lookout, man arcing up to join the squares on the foremast. It makes you overboard sentry, runner (taking radio communications feel good to be alive and at sea. from lookout, navigator and relaying them to the All good things must come to an end and on March 2nd we officer of the watch and vice versa) and fire party (doing were off Sydney Heads to end another great trip. a tour of the entire ship below decks checking for anything untoward.) If you were not assigned any of The majority of the engineers and deck officers as well as these essentials, you stood by to trim sails, brace, furl, some crew were from the Merchant Marine. However there and so on. were a sprinkling of ex Navy personnel on board and as the merchant men posed with their red ensign t-shirts we took On board was another great delight in informing them of who were the ‘Senior society member Hugh Service.’ As I mentioned earlier, the camaraderie on board is Cross. He was topman in a wonderful thing. the mizzen watch. Luckily for both of us, the ships The James Craig does take passengers, so to any member runs a 3 watch system who would like to experience sailing a square rigger: you which means you have 4 can do so, either a day trip or extended voyages. hours on and 8 hours off. For information contact the Sydney Heritage Fleet on 02 9298 3888 This allowed us plenty of time for painting and sketching. Hugh was very Ian Hansen organized with a fine array of paints, brushes and sketch pads. I tend to go with a very small and basic set of acrylics, my log book and a couple of brushes. · 3 · A S M A M A R I N E · A R T · i n · a u s t r a l i a · 2 0 1 2 Bob Carter, President of the Australian Society of Marine Report to ASMA and Artists, walked me through the Rozelle shipyards with the help of Tim Drinkwater and some of the many loyal the Sydney Heritage Fleet volunteers. Bob talked, again from the eyes of an artist, From Writer in Residence, Jenetta Russell about what he could see and how he would transfer that to November, 2011 canvas – a delicious mix of history and artistic whim. Having interviewed at length a number of artists over the years, I It is my pleasure and delight to be ‘Writer in Residence’ long ago came to the conclusion that an artist’s perception for the Australian Society of Marine Artists and Sydney of colour, shape, space, proportion and depth makes me Heritage Fleet joint project - I consider it a huge honour feel like I am viewing the world in monochrome compared to work with both organizations. My challenge has to the ‘3D technicolour’ seen through their eyes. I find this been that my full time job, as part owner of a group of concept fascinating - it is just one of many reasons I am so companies in the Agricultural Industry, currently limits delighted to be Writer in Residence for both the Australian the time I can devote to this writing “passion”. Society of Marine Artists (getting insights into the artist’s So far the articles I have written included inspiration mind) and the Sydney Heritage Fleet (sourcing material and from an interview with Bill Shepherd, a great character human stories about those who go to sea, went to sea or in the machinery shop down at the Heritage Shipyard are preserving our maritime history). in Rozelle Bay, Sydney. He regaled me with wonderful © Jenetta Russell, 2011 stories of his time at sea on the aircraft carriers, HMAS Melbourne and Sydney, on boom defense vessel HMAS Koala and at the Naval Base on Manus Island as well as his war service at the Korean conflict in 1951. It was fun Peeling Away Time to write Bill Shepherd’s story! a painting by by Martin Campbell Artist and previous Artist in Residence Martin Campbell and I collaborated on one of his painting projects. My aim was to attempt to ‘get inside the head of an artist whilst he painted’. This was a fascinating experience, where I could almost feel the paint being applied and the creative emotion flowing onto his canvas. Martin is a brilliant artist – in this work he painted a section of the hull of the partially restored SS John Oxley, calling it Peeling Away Time.