Ocean Obsessions and Love Lines

I’ve chronicled more than a few obsessions on Sea-Fever over the years and it could be argued that this blog is itself a bit of an obsession.  A couple of posts that immediately come to mind are 15 years and 4 million matchsticks and The Germans are coming! The Germans are coming! (by pickup and trailer) but there are literally hundreds more.

I look forward to every year at this time because artists in New Bedford open their studios to the public and you can explore and discover some amazing things like Huguette Despault May’s awesome, very large charcoal drawings of maritime rope. In fact, her obsession is drawing the same piece of line, an old worn hawser, over and over and over from different perspectives. I believe that there are currently 12 different drawings which have also been turned into beautiful prints.

I wrote about May’s work last year and was excited to return again this year because there is really no substitute for experiencing it in person. If you are ever in the New Bedford area, try to see her work and studio, you won’t be disappointed. (Her contact info is on her website.)

If you spend any time with the artist you’ll see just how passionate and focused she is on this single piece of line. (NB: the above gigantic drawing with Joy standing in front is called Titular Head (2006) and was from a separate series the artist did for her MFA thesis for Tufts/School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston)(Larger version of photograph of the the artist’s studio)

Obsessions are good! Right Tugster, Never Sea Land (mermaids) and PowerMobyDick?