Swan Studios Mural and Faux Finish Adventures: I Saw Three Ships

Sunday, September 30, 2018

I Saw Three Ships

One of my favorite carols when I was a little girl was Nat King Cole’s version of “I Saw Three Ships”. Maybe it was my favorite because I loved hearing his velvety voice gently singing through our GE console stereo. Or perhaps, more likely,because while his album played I could smell the delicious aroma of Christmas cookies my mom was baking in the kitchen. Whatever the reason, it is a delightful memory. A memory I recently revisited while painting a scene that involves three ships.

I’ve written before how much it means as an artist to be requested to paint scenes or decorative pieces that have a deep personal meaning to the client. Some requests are sweet, like painting a newborn’s name onto furnishings. Some requests are funny. I was commissioned to paint a tropical scene reflecting a client’s favorite vacation spot, but it also had to include the capuchin monkey that had bitten her. Some requests leave a deep emotional mark. I was commissioned to paint a favorite fairytale scene for a toddler, so she could see it before she had surgery to remove cancer that would require removing her eyes. I take these requests very seriously and they each have a special place in my heart. There’s great joy in painting something that brings another person pleasure. There’s also a joy in honoring someone with a creation. The scene with three ships encompasses all of that.

A friend’s father worked endless hours assembling replicas of famous ships. These ships are constructed to the smallest detail. Even the parts inside that you can only see if you were to remove the outer portions. The rigging of the sails is strung in the same fashion as the ships they are modeled after. I was told one of the ships had over eleven hundred hours poured into it. These ships were more than just a hobby. These ships kept their father’s mind occupied during the painful struggles he had to endure at the end of his earthly journey. Three of these ships were brought here to SW Florida. I was requested to paint a New England sea port scene, so the ships could be mounted into the scene. With the joy of art brushes in hand and a glorious 23-foot-wide canvas before me, I painted while Nat King Cole echoed in my head.

A panoramic view:

For durability , as well as, ease of touch ups if ever necessary, the sea portion is painted using latex and glazing. The sky is in various layers of latex, glaze, and acrylics to create textural depth.