Dory Lobster Fishing

I recently complete a painting that had been commissioned to depict lobster fishing in a dory. 



Although dories have been used for fishing small numbers of traps quite recently (maybe still in use), a schooner, faint in the fog was requested.  The hint of the schooner in the fog takes us back a hundred years.  Almost obscured by fog, the schooner has a ghostly appearance.

The gulls, always hanging around whenever a bait pocket might be emptied, are almost obscured by fog too.

The dory is a seaworthy little craft, easily handling the light chop on the water, with the reflections in the little waves picking up alternately the dory buff, the yellow oil coat, or the foggy sky.

And of course, we have to make sure the bowline is tied correctly at the bow of the dory; a fisherman simply wouldn't stand for the knot to be incorrect!

This was a fun painting to do, and I enjoyed the sense of our maritime heritage that it gives me.