William B. Hoyt | On the Waterfront | Oil | 23″ X 47″ | $18500
William B. Hoyt is known for his classic portrayal of life in New England. The real-life people and places he comes in contact with are often reincarnated in paint. Be it a perfect beach day in “Jousting,” the clean lines of a sailboat venturing out for the day in “Herreshoff 12 1/2,” or the simplicity of a pot on the stove in “Topside Galley,” Hoyt brings his world to us in detail and color.
When William was asked to create a personal reflection of ‘his Maine’ for Maine. As they see it., of course there was a memory to walk with him through the process. “On the Waterfront” began with a story from the small town of Stonington, Maine. “My wife and I were up in Brooklin staying with friends while one of them attended a marine canvas sewing workshop at the Wooden Boat School. That left three of us to prowl around and explore during the class. We went by boat down to Stonington, tied up at the town dock, and wandered the streets.”
To be able to see though William Hoyt’s eyes as he wanders would be a day well spent. Maine is all about the senses, and he uses them all. “It was a perfect September day, and the sight of laundry run out on a line over a deshabille dock got me,” remembers Hoyt. “The former shops used to serve the area back when most goods arrived by boat, before good roads and bridges. Now used by a lobsterman to store paraphernalia, I caught myself reflected in the window with pot warp and buoys.” After taking a moment to look closer, you will find this reflection. One of the many wonders of Hoyt’s paintings is the tiny facets that are found each time you stand in front of his work. Time and close inspection bring amazing discovery.
For those of us that grew up here, we know this scene could be one of so many Maine coastal towns. Fishing and lobstering are still thriving, but not all are the tourist destinations usually seen depicted in magazines and postcards. “Stonington still serves an archipelago with goods and services that peak in summer months and subside after Labor Day.”
One day to visit Maine just isn’t enough. Working a path up the coast could take a traveler weeks, or even the whole summer, and still all would not be seen. This is why we welcome you to come and visit Maine Art Shows in Kennebunk, and get a look inside some of the best of Maine, all in one place.
Maine. As they see it will run until August 6th. Maine Art Shows is open everyday from 11-5. Come in. It is a wonderful way to see Maine.
Please click the icons below to share on your Facebook page or Twitter feed.