Crewmen, 1983

This painting was inspired by three voyages I undertook on a large sailing topsail schooner. At times the sea cut up rough and on one occasion hitting force 10, resulting in my first bout of sea sickness. This painting depicts that storm with deckhand figures up to their waist in crashing water. Also, it shows no matter how well you zip your storm jacket the wind still get in and inflates it.

I apply the acrylic paint in a liquid form as the board absorbs the paint, so there is no need to worry about breaking down the paint binder. Pastel has been used sparingly for some highlights. I use artists large hogs hair brushes to manipulate the work to give it a robust rendition. However, because this work is on a Studland board, no varnish finish is applied because of its absorbency. So the painting should be framed with a mount and under glass. I recommend at least a 80mm wide frame, narrow frames on large paintings do not sit well and have a tendency to warp. The painting has had some revision in 2022.