Art/Classes/Paintings

Item Description

"Maine Lobstermen", by Robert E. Goodier, A.W.S., W.H.S. Copyright 1994. From the collection of Machias Savings Bank.  #449 of 500.  Size: 22" wide x 18" tall.  Donated by Machias Savings Bank. 

“Maine Lobstermen”

Stacks of sun-bleached traps, smelly bait barrels, and the mournful shrill of swooping seagulls are all part of lobstering in Maine. Long before anyone can remember any differently, those hard-shelled animals that live on the bottom of the ocean have been an integral part of Maine’s economy and culture. Connoisseurs of fine cuisine will say the best lobsters inhabit the north Atlantic. Each year, fishermen from Maine and Canada catch about 80 million pounds of these segmented crustaceans.

 When the sky is getting light, it’s time to head out, hefting a gaff, loading the traps, and donning oilskins. When the bait hits the water, and the gulls emerge from nowhere, a trusty sternman is hard at work. Crusher claws are banded, and the traps are hauled with piles of pot warp clinging to many. The waters are dotted with buoys marking trap sites. But when the day is done, and weathered, weary faces creased by the breath of another day look toward home, there’s nothing quite like heading there with a good catch of lobsters on board.

Artist’s Biography

Name: Robert E. Goodier

Personal Data: Born May 10, 1925; in Wilmington, Deleware

Education: Graduated Museum College of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Background Information: Best-known for his historic and marine paintings, Goodier works in both oil and watercolors. He spent his boyhood summers in the Brandywine region of Delaware, where his roots go back six generations. In searching for historic relics, he began to paint pictures depicting the American Revolution. Goodier feels that in addition to artistic merit, paintings should be accurate to the minutest detail, which entails countless hours of research.

Techniques: Goodier approaches his subject matter with emotion rather than any specific technique. He becomes totally immersed in his subject, using color, detail, light, and shadow to provide an exciting element of aliveness to his work.

Awards: Benedictine Art, McLean Enterprise, William Frye, Chester County Art Association, National Bank of Chester County and Ocean City Art League.

Acknowledgments

Machias Savings Bank and Robert Goodier wish to acknowledge and thank the following individuals for their invaluable assistance in making this painting as historically accurate as possible:

Gilbert Ackley, Cutler and John Olsen, Machiasport.

The proceeds from the sale of these prints will benefit a scholarship fund for deserving students from Washington, Hancock and Aroostook Counties.

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