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September 4, 2019
Chesapeake art, Chesapeake Bay, Deadrise Boats, john barber, John M. Barber
Over my 40 years of exploring the Chesapeake region, I’ve often seen these once- proud vessels reduced to derelicts. Called deadrises, due to the configuration of their hulls, they are well suited to the bay’s short, choppy seas and shoal waters. Constructed of native wood and built by local craftsmen, they are perfectly suited for harvesting the bounty of the Chesapeake. They could easily be adapted for fishing, crabbing, clamming, and oystering and were beloved by their owners. In 1988…
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August 22, 2018
Barber Art, boats, Chesapeake, Chesapeake art, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake fishing, Deadrise Boats, Maritime Art, sailing, Skipjacks
In this oil painting, we see a skipjack sailing for home after a long day of work. These wooden vessels were designed and built to haul general cargo and dredge oysters on the Chesapeake Bay. There are a few still oystering even today in the Maryland waters of the bay. On the horizon, we see massive storm clouds, which can easily threaten these vessels, some over one hundred years old. Notice the green light on the skipjack. This is…
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May 8, 2016
Barber Art, boats, Chesapeake, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake fishing, fishing, rockfish, workboats
I was invited to join a group of friends that has been making an annual pilgrimage to the “Rod ‘N’ Reel” Pro-Am Sportfishing Tournament in April for 16 years. The guys meet at Chesapeake Beach, Maryland on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay for the event and as always-chartered Captain Eddie Green [or his dad Pop Green]. This year we had residents of Delaware, Maryland, central Michigan and myself from Virginia. Captain Green’s Plumb Crazy is a 40’ bay-built fishing…
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June 9, 2015
Barber, Barber Art, boats, Chesapeake, Chesapeake art, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake fishing, fishing, john hager, rockfish, Skipjacks
Our magnificent Chesapeake Bay has much to offer everyone. Recently I called my long-time friend Captain Billy Pipkin of Ingram Bay Marina and arranged a fishing charter for a special friend and patron, John Hager of Richmond, Virginia. John was a business executive, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia 1998-2002, then Homeland Security Director, Assistant Secretary of Education in Washington and most recently, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. He loves fishing and the outdoors. Our target was Morone saxatilis also…
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July 12, 2012
Admiral Papp, Chesapeake Bay, EAGLE, Marine art, Maritime Art, OpSail, Tall Ships
I was honored when asked to create the official painting for OpSail that took place in Norfolk, Virginia from June 1-12, 2012. During this historic occasion the Port of Virginia was once again host to a most impressive fleet of tall ships, Naval and military warships, educational and research vessels from 15 nations. OpSail promotes goodwill among nations, inspires patriotism and fosters interest in American maritime history and heritage, while creating unique educational opportunities for all ages and bringing economic…
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January 23, 2012
Barber, Barber Art, boats, Chesapeake, Chesapeake art, Chesapeake Bay, Deadrise Boats, Marine art, Maritime Art, Skipjacks
Near the end of last December I was invited by my friend Captain Brian Dillistin to join him for a day on the bay. We would run from his home on the Corrottoman River down the Rappahannock and then to the southern Chesapeake near the eastern shore of Virginia. Our targeted species was Morone saxatilis, also called “striped bass” and locally “rockfish”. These fish are, for the most part, anadromous- migrating from the ocean in the spring up fresh water…
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