New Bedford Fishing Heritage Center is pleased to announce the opening of a new exhibit and program series: Fishboats: Art of the Industry. The exhibit opens on Thursday, September 8, 2022 and will remain on exhibit through March 31, 2023. An opening reception will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. A number of the featured artists will be on hand as well as a demonstration of remote controlled lobster boat models by Bill McKeon of Cape Cod.
For those who make their living from the sea, fishing vessels are like family members. Even those who have little or no familiarity with the fishing industry know that the boat is at its center. However, most people do not associate the industry’s workforce with the creation of art. Fishboats: Art of the Industry, the Center’s new gallery exhibit, will offer audiences a new lens through which to view fishboats and the fishing community.
The exhibit will include drawings, paintings, wood carvings, and models created by ten artists who are fishermen, shoreside workers, fishing family members, and close associates of the fishing community. Featured artists are Gordon Bok, Bob Bowers, Captain Alan Curtis, Christina Jacobsen DeVilliers, Captain Bruce Gifford, Donald Hoaglund, Steve Kennedy, Captain Eva Liput, Captain R.S. Meekins, and Arthur Moniz.
Originally from Adamsville, Rhode Island, Merri Cyr lived in New York City for 30 years working as a fine art and commercial photographer. Primarily focused on portraits of musicians and artists, her clients include Disney, Columbia Records, Sony, Vimeo, Warner Brothers, Verve, Polygram, Rolling Stone, among many others. Merri was in house photographer from 2009-2019 for Apple Events in NYC Soho store, photographing actors, musicians, designers and movie folks for podcasts. As part of an Apple events team, Merri worked in tandem with creatives collaborating on artwork for the Apple website, photographing more that 800 events. In addition, she is author of two photography books and her work is represented by Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York and Los Angeles.
