During this year’s Salem Maritime Festival at Derby Wharf, members of the Salem Arts Association created paintings en plein air inspired by the exciting event. Our work is on display at a special exhibit hosted by the Salem Visitor’s Center from Saturday, August 18 through Monday, September 23, 2018.
I was one of the artisans at the Maritime Festival, and I demonstrated the art of figurehead painting. The mermaid figurehead that I painted is part of the Art in the Park exhibit. She is done in acrylic paint on a resin form that was made for me by a craftsman in Ohio who uses antique wood-carved figureheads to craft his forms. My mermaid figurehead is called “Irish Selkie” and was inspired by Celtic legends of maidens, half human and half seal.
The Salem Visitor’s Center is located at 2 New Liberty Street, Salem, MA. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily.
