The Enchanted Voyage

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 20x16

“Mr. Pecket built a sailboat in his backyard. It would never stay afloat for it was built of fantasy, irony and humaneness. One night Mr. Pecket did experience his "Enchanted Voyage", and only then did he discover what life is truly about.

A MAN AND HIS IMPOSSIBLE DREAM...

The man, who lived in a very practical little house in the Bronx with his very practical little wife, was very unhappy -- except when he puttered around in his backyard, lost in his dreams. His wife had very little sympathy with his preoccupation...

Then one day his dream began to come true and he found himself sailing far away from home in search of...who could guess?

Maybe freedom, maybe adventure, maybe even true love...” (From the back cover)

I read this small book, by Robert Nathan ©1936, as a young man in my twenties and re-read the story on my Kindle recently. It struck a chord with me back then and still does today. It’s about hope and yearning and the freedom to live your dreams. It is essentially a “Road Trip” saga of a man sailing away from his dull and unhappy existence on his sailboat, the Sarah Pecket. The homemade boat with wheels attached and Mr. Pecket on board, is launched down the city street by a sudden storm. Later two other people, a lonely waitress and an unemployed dentist, come along for the adventure. It’s a quirky adult fairytale.

Sunset Voyage of the James Standish

Original painting - Acrylic on canvas 20x24
(click image to enlarge)

I named this fictional schooner in memory of my older brother, James Standish Shropshire. 

Jim loved to be on the water and always owned a small fleet of watercraft, from leaky rowboats and canoes to speedboats and pontoon boats. He even had a cabin cruiser for awhile. He was the captain and I was only the deck hand, but I'll always remember his sunset cocktail cruises from the island he owned in northern Wisconsin.

Here's to you Big Brother ...sail on.

Castle on the Lake

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 16x20

I love the renaissance feel of this painting! I think I was channeling the artist William Turner ...at least I hope I was. It's always about the sky and the atmosphere. I hope you enjoy this imaginary scene as much as I do.

Rough Sailing

Original Painting - Acrylic on canvas 16x20

This painting began as a cloud study, then a seascape, and finally, a sailboat painting. I had no particular location in mind ...could be anywhere. I could almost hear the snap of the canvas and the splash of the waves. seascape canvas prints