Minerva study

Normally the ideas for a painting begin with me working from race reports or yacht plans. In the case of yacht plans, I draw my chosen vessel from various angles so I get to understand her shape and form completely. Its during this part of the process that I begin to get excited about how and from angle I would like to portray her. These sketches are a little like the preliminary sittings a portrait artist will do with his sitter before going on to the actual painting itself.

One of the paintings planned for my upcoming show will be a small study for a future larger painting depicting Minerva. Built by William Fife in 1888 Minerva was set to change the history and future development of yachting and launch the careers of the relatively unknown skipper Charlie Barr who had brought the Scottish cutter across the Atlantic to America and the yacht designer Nat Herreshoff. It was Herreshoff who after Minerva’s domination of the 40 foot class in 1889 answered the call for “ Anything to beat Minerva” with his famed 46 footer Gloriana.