Friday, October 4, 2013

SCHOONERS

Not long into our journey as passengers on the MV David B. we caught sight of the Schooner Zodiac in full sail on Bellingham Bay.   The Zodiac is a beautiful vessel owned by The Vessel Zodiac Corp. and is used to provide sail training for youth and adults.  Before we boarded the David B we had seen a bus load of school children being herded through the marina.  This was their day to take a field trip on the water.

 A few minutes later we saw the Schooner Adventuress; a smaller vessel also used to teach sailing and environmental education about Puget Sound, and also carrying a boat load of youngsters.

Both ships are many decades old and were originally used as fishing schooners and pilot boats.  They have been restored to their original design and are registered as National Historic Landmarks.

The combination of big white sails and morning sunlight on the water provided unlimited photo ops.  I brought home plenty of references for my watercolor painting.

I just finished “Morning Schooners” and put it up for sail on my Etsy site.  I’m pretty pleased with the way it turned out.  It won’t be easy for me to give up this souvenir of our vacation.

I also have some small paintings on display on the VirtualPaintout of the Isle Of Wight. 

It was entertaining and educational to “tour” that part of the world using Google Street View.


This month’s location is Lima, Peru.  DH and I visited Lima, but it was during their winter and in a very un-scenic part of town.  I’ve already done a little exploring and found some better looking places that will be much more interesting to work with.

15 comments:

joeh said...

Love the Schooners.

Alica said...

The schooners are so pretty...both the photos and the watercolor! You are such a talented artist!

Buttons Thoughts said...

Oh Leenie I just love your paintings and someday when I sell my someday to come out with any luck at all book(a girl has to dream) and get some sale money I am going to have you hanging in my house.That is on my bucket list. You are a true talent my friend. Love the ship it would be hard to part with I am sure. Hug B

Joanne Noragon said...

I looked twice at the first two photos to be sure they were not your watercolors. Picture perfect.

Val said...

Beautiful boats. I know I'm not supposed to call them "boats." But when I saw the word "schooner," I thought of a restaurant in South St. Louis where my college friend took me to see the schooners of beer served there. Okay. Maybe I did more than just "see" it.

Anonymous said...

You are VERY talented, my friend!!

Anonymous said...

While the schooners are beautiful I am most taken with the horse and the house.

Maude Lynn said...

"Morning Schooners" is stunning. Wow, Leenie.

TALON said...

Gorgeous, Leenie. Both art and photographs.

Brian King said...

What beautiful ships! You don't see the old ones like that very often. Your paintings are gorgeous!

Carla said...

You really have such a lovely gift of capturing a scene! I love schooners, but hear they are terribly hard work to sail.

Elizabeth said...

Loved your cottage on the Isle of Wight where we used to go on vacation when I was a child in the 1950's.
A lovely place.
The sail boats are magnificent and much more impressive than anything modern!

RURAL said...

Leenie, you have such talent...and I love the watercolors that you have painted, especially the schooners.

Thank you for the links to the recipes, looks like I have some studying to do. Practicing too.

Jen

Jill said...

I was on the Isle of Wight last week, I recognise some of the views on the virtual paint out site. What a brilliant idea! Love your schooners.

Terry and Linda said...

You are outstandingly talented!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com