HullScapes are close-up photos of boat hull stains that appear rich in color and imagery. They are created by the complex interplay of nature and man.
Many hull images transform over a summer season to look like paintings, resembling seascapes or landscapes. Some look exactly like the physical location where the boat was moored. All photos in this series were taken on Cape Cod.
What Causes boat hulls to look like paintings?
As boats remain tied to docks or moorings the interaction of; sun, water, ocean chemistry, currents, tides, reflecting light, algae, pH, boat paint and other elements combine with other natural and man-made additives to form a horizontal stain across the boat’s hull at the water-line. This stain develops as the season progresses and results in the formation of complex imagery and colors. (Some boaters refer to this as a scum-line.) I prefer to call them HullScapes!
My First HullScape
My first experience with boat hull photography occurred unexpectedly as I walked past the boat in this photo. From a distance I thought an artist painted a beach scene on the side of this skiff. It looked exactly like the tidal marsh along our river.
As I got closer, I realized his boat had not been painted, I was observing, for the first time, a collaboration between nature and ocean chemistry.
HullScapes(TM) introduce you to the unseen world of boat hull art. After looking at these photos, you may never look the same way at a dirty boat hull.
MARCH 2023: Meet the HullScapes Artist, Coffee Obsession, Falmouth MA
JANUARY 2020-DECEMBER 2022: CAPE SCENES: THREE PERSPECTIVES, Cape Cod Maritime Museum, Hyannis MA
JULY 2021: HULL STORM, Cape Cod Museum of Art, Dennis MA
JULY 2020: Cultural Center of Cape Cod, South Yarmouth MA
JUNE 2020: Seacoast Shores, East Falmouth MA
2019: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Woods Hole MA
JULY 2019: Cape Cod Five, Mashpee MA
MAY 2019: Coffee Obsession, Falmouth MA
MAY 2019: Coffee Obsession, Woods Hole MA
MAY 2019: Falmouth Arts Center, Falmouth MA Recipient of an Honorable Mention Award at the Annual Autumn Juried Show!
NOVEMBER 2018: Cotuit Center for the Arts, Cotuit MA
If you’re interested in purchasing a Hullscape (TM) for your home or if you just want to learn more about the process feel free to shoot me an email by filling out the form below. Looking forward to hearing from you!
HullScapes (TM) are available in many sizes and are printed on high quality canvas or metal prints.
