Art of Sailing

Maritime Heritage Art Contemporary art with a traditional theme.

Living and ‘making a living’ in a fishing community was precarious; when catches were good everyone who could wield a tool was employed, at gutting, or mending nets, or repairing sails and rigging; and everyone shared in the abundance.

 When catches were small fishing communities didn’t starve - but they couldn’t trade, repair or replace.  Even when there were no fish they could forage at low water.  Excavation of coastal community sites going back thousands of years always uncover a Midden (refuse heap) consisting mainly of Limpet shells. 

Communities which were situated far from large towns and cities, even when fishing was good, faced the problem of transporting their catch for sale.  In the days before rail, it went on it’s long journey by horse and cart.  And when it got there, if fishing was good everywhere, prices were low.

The years during the 18th and 19th centuries, were periods of great development; new fishing methods were devised, new fishing grounds discovered - sometimes many miles out  to sea - and new designs of boat and sail arrangements were developed in order to get there, and safely back.

Differing coastlines - shallow and sandy, deep and rocky; the kind of natural harbour afforded in an area, and the varieties of fish which inhabit a coastline lead to differing methods of fishing and to the development of widely differing Boats, Creels, Sails and Nets.  Our Maritime Heritage is distinct to the area you happen to be, and changes as you pass along the coast.