Art in Waterford
Event explores Waterford’s Past+Present+Future
The Waterford Historical Society’s third annual “Art In Waterford: Past + Present + Future” event will occur in its historic buildings and on Jordan Green, 49 Rope Ferry Road in Waterford, on Saturday, Aug. 14, and Sunday, Aug. 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
This family-oriented event will feature a display of ship carvings and fine furnishings by craftsmen of the past. Local artists’ paintings in a juried art show will be for sale. Works by “future” artists, area middle school and high school students, will be displayed in the 1740 Jordan Schoolhouse. There will be live music to listen to, en plein aire painters to observe, tours of the historic buildings, blacksmiths working at their forge, food and beverages for sale near picnic tables, and vintage cars to admire. The Waterford Public Library will sponsor colonial arts and crafts activities for children.
While there is no cost for admission, to enhance their experience visitors are encouraged upon arrival at Jordan Green to visit the main tent to purchase a program with biographies and background on all the artists. There will be handforged items by the blacksmiths, note cards and art supplies available for sale. They may also buy tickets to enter drawings to win seascape paintings donated by two local artists --- Pat Kelbaugh and Len Swec --or a hand-forged fireplace poker from the blacksmith shop. Proceeds from sale of these items will go to benefit the Waterford Historical Society, Inc.’s programs and activities.
Find us at Jordan Green 49 Rope Ferry Road, Waterford Saturday & Sunday Aug. 14 & 15 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ship carver and furniture maker are featured “Past” artists
In the previous two years of Art In Waterford, painters from Waterford’s past have been featured.
This year’s featured “Past” artists are masters of wood craftsmanship, renowned Waterford furniture maker Harold Hayes (1915-2008) and ship carver Willard Odell Shepard (1914-1988). Examples of their hand-carved wooden masterpieces, furniture and ship carvings will be on display in the 1838 Beebe-Phillips House.
Ship-related models, including eagles, figureheads, and stern boards, were carved by Willard Odell Shepard between 1965 and 1973. Willard’s family lived several years in England during his teenage years while his father, Pulitzer-Prize-winner Odell Shepard, taught as an adjunct professor at Oxford. While living there, Willard was inspired by ship models and carvings at the National Maritime Museum in London, and began a life-long passion for sailing ships, naval history, ship modeling and carving. He founded Shep’s Ship Shop at Mago Point in Waterford and was the ship carver at Mystic Seaport. He resided at the family home on Jordan Cove Circle, where his stepson and his wife now live.
According to Shepard’s son, John Shepard of Union, Maine, in the 19th century, ship owners commissioned ship carvers to create figureheads for the bows of their ships, generally in a design related to the name or role of the ship. The ship’s figurehead was a source of pride and identity. “Shep” used to explain that the figureheads represented the spirit of the ship to the captain and crew, and gave them an icon to identify with and work for, even if the ship’s name was different from the figurehead’s name or design. In countless incidents, before they tried to salvage anything else on board, the crew would remove or saw off the figurehead if the ship was imperiled with sinking.
Skilled ship carvers made their livelihood making such ship carvings, as well as shop signs, furniture, models and advertising figures.
Also on display in the Beebe-Phillips House will be hand-crafted furnishings by Harold Hayes. Humble and extraordinarily talented with his voice and his hands, Harold Lesley Hayes lived in Waterford all his life, even operating a cabinetry shop at the site of the former Waterford Airport. Hayes’ father was a butcher, so at an early age he learned woodworking using his father’s tools and began refinishing furniture for a local auctioneer. During World War II, Harold apprenticed to become a wood pattern maker at Electric Boat, where he met Ernest Widham, and after the war, the two started Hay-Wid Manufacturing Co., creating shuffleboard sets that were sold at Abercrombie & Fitch. Harold built his own house and began his own business crafting furniture, especially secretaries, highboys, tables and chairs. Also a talented musician who played the organ, guitar and mandolin, he made musical instruments, particularly violins made of spruce and curly maple.
Seventeen works by “Present” artists including shoreline-inspired scenes will be for sale
Anyone who loves, appreciates, and may wish to own a bit of the beauty and serenity of southeastern Connecticut’s landmarks, coastal views and flora may very well find these qualities in one of the paintings on view and for sale at the “Present” artists exhibit in the Stacy Barn/Miner Education Center on Jordan Green.
The 2021 theme encompasses southeastern Connecticut and its shoreline. The 10 artists selected by jury have painted 17 scenes of the local land and sea, capturing views of places such as Harkness Memorial Park, beaches, points, coves and inlets along Long Island Sound, and colorful, quiet gardens. The artists’ chosen media include oil, acrylic and watercolor.
Viewers can admire familiar Waterford scenes: Len Swec’s Harkness Passage, Joan Carew’s Harkness Memorial, Diane Rubacha’s Seaside, Waterford and Linda Casey’s Looking Towards Seaside. Other paintings ask one to look farther, to Laura Provo-Parker’s George’s Playground on the Shore of Fisher’s Island Sound and Carew’s Old Saybrook Light, or inland to Anne Bingham Pierson’s Meig’s Point Pond and Charlie Reyburn’s Shore Road. Pat Kelbaugh depicts High Tide at McCook’s Park while Dolores Markewicz’s gaze was upon Sunshine on the Marsh as she painted.
The artwork can be viewed on the Waterford Historical Society’s website or Facebook page at waterfordcthistoricalsociety.org/ and facebook.com/WaterfordHistorySocietyCT/. Those interested in purchasing a painting prior to the opening of this juried show can do so by calling the Society at 860-389-7529. The artwork can then be picked up as soon as the exhibit closes at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 15.
A percentage of the proceeds from sale of the paintings will go to benefit the Waterford Historical Society, Inc.’s programs and activities. The Society heartily thanks the talented artists for offering and displaying their works in this third annual Art In Waterford exhibition.
“Future” artists showcases artwork by local high school students
On display appropriately in the 1740 Jordan Schoolhouse on Jordan Green will be selected works by the “future artists,” including students from The Williams School, Saint Bernard School, Clark Lane Middle School and Waterford High School. Laura Provo-Parker, an art teacher in Waterford, was instrumental in collaborating with art teachers from these schools to encourage a wide range of student submissions to the exhibition.