Old Sea Dogs
A$3,000
of $3,000 targetyrs ago
Successful on 25th Nov 2012 at 1:00AM.
THE WORK IS NOW COMPLETE, YOU CAN PURCHASE PRINTS AND THE BOOK HERE ON MY POZIBLE STORE OR VIA MY WEBSITE OLDSEADOGS.COM.AU
Old Sea Dogs is an idea I came up with after sailing with my dad during the 2011 pre-christmas twilight series, a social racing night held on the Derwent River every Wednesday during Day Light Savings in Hobart, Tasmania.
Spending that time with my dad made me respect just how much of his life's been devoted to boats and sailing, and how little I knew of that story and about sailing! It made me see dad as not just a sailor but a historian of sailing in his own right - plus I thought that he'd been knocked around enough over the years to make a good image - well weathered anyway!
So I took a few images and then sat down and interviewed dad about his life on the water and it was a definite eye opener, the things he was allowed to do as a kid, parents today would have kittens over. That made me think that there's a lot of Old Dogs about with fascinating stories, fully of humor and high jinx, as well as wisdom and good advice, and that it's really important that their stories are recorded - it's history and generations of knowledge that will pass by otherwise. That's what I hope you get out of Old Sea Dogs, it's definitely a fun exhibition with interesting portraits combined with some tall tales, but it also documents a bit of significant history and that alone makes it a worthwhile and valuable exercise to me.
Where to Exhibit? After throwing a few ideas around with what to do with these images my wife Claire suggested that I should approach the Australian Wooden Boat Festival about exhibiting the series when the next festival rolls round in February 2013.
So after emailing a few images I met up with the festival's Director, Paul Cullen, without really knowing what to ask for or to expect. Amazingly Paul couldn't have been more positive about the exhibition and offered the festival's 'Tavern' on Elizabeth St Pier as a venue in which to display Old Sea Dogs. I couldn't think of a more perfect place. Fill a venue with images of Old Sea Dogs and some Seascapes, while many other Of Age and Old Sea Dogs are ordering a rum and beer at the bar... Thanks Paul, and most of all thanks to my Claire for such a great suggestion!
Where, when and what?Old Sea Dogs will be displayed at the 2013 Australian Wooden Boat Festival ‘Tavern’ on Elizabeth St Pier, Hobart. Featuring 6–12 ‘gentlemen’ sailors from around Hobart (depending on how many that can be lured out of hibernation), the exhibition will display a combination of black and white portraiture and seascapes.
Accompanying the photography will be a few rollicking tales from each Old Sea Dog, documenting their passions, adventures, wisdom and slow (or for some fast) loss of hair and increase in waist line.
There will be a mixture of framed and unframed work on display, and all exhibited images will be for sale.
Please visit the Australian Wooden Boat Festival Tavern between February 08 - 11, 2013 and share a rum with these Old Sea Dogs.
Spread the word: This is just as helpful as any donation. I'd like as many people as possible to see the exhibition and to know about the Wooden Boat Festival as they have been very generous to me with offering the Tavern as a venue.
So the least I can do is spread the word as much as possible... your help doing this would be a huge help!
Suggest an Old Sea Dog: At the moment I'm still on the look out for other Old Sea Dogs to photograph to add to the 4 I've already drawn out of hibernation over the winter.
So if you know one I should contact please feel free to send me an email via: [email protected]
Exhibition Extract
"The Count Burgundy" (Pronounced Bur-gun-dee, not Bur-gundee)
Bob "The Count Burgundy" Wilson with his old mate Darky, April 2012.
"The Count Burgundy" (Pronounced Bur-gun-dee, not Bur-gundee)
Bob "The Count Burgundy" Wilson with his old mate Darky, April 2012.
Behind is Telstar, built by dad's dad, Pop Wilson, and currently under
(on going) restoration.
My dad, Bob Wilson, or as my sister and I call him ‘The Count Burgundy’ is one such Old Sea Dog. Dad’s been a sailor since he was a lad, eventually building many vessels including a 16ft Fireball named “Geronimo” with his elder brother “Once Upon A Time” in 1969. Geronimo is a very apt name and accurately defines the head first, full throttle approach most Wilson men have to their passions.
My dad’s pursuits afloat were not only restricted to chasing sailing pennants however, the story goes that any river worthy vessels on hand were regularly commandeered to row from Rosny Point, around Bellerive Bluff and along the beach to the local high school - in that time honoured pursuit - the attempt to chat up girls.
According to dad not only did they always leave empty handed, they usually had to row back thanks to Huey, the wind and surf god. Apparently Huey had a knack of making sure the prevailing breeze was on the nose, on both the way down the river and on the way back up! Sounds to me that it was their futile early attempts at the art of female seduction that was mostly on the nose!
One of my Dad's greatest passion's however is for wooden boats that leak, an unfortunate trait I too have inherited. This worries my wife as much as it does his wife, my mum ‘The Countess Burgundy’. For years I have watched my dad apply all sorts of old and new remedies to stop his yachts from leaking. If anything dad is proof that persistence pays off for today the leaks have pretty much all but stopped thanks to his love and dedication to wooden vessels, not to mention a lot of elbow grease.
Dad’s current yacht ‘Vite’ still does need the odd bilge pump, but as Dad often says with a shrug of the shoulders and a nonchalant expression, “All wooden boats leak a bit...”.
I reckon he’s about right too.
For the truth behind the names "The Count..." and "Once upon a time" along with a few other tall tales make sure you come along to the festival!
Old Sea Dogs will be exhibited as part of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival, February 08 - 11, 2013.
In the meantime some small extracts from the exhibition will be featured in the Festival's email newsletter leading up to the big event.
If you would like to find out more about the artist, become a supporter of the exhibition or even suggest an Old Sea Dog whose story needs to be told then please visit: http://oldseadogs.com.au
So if you like the sound of my Old Sea Dogs please support the exhibition in any way you can! Most of all make sure you come down to the Festival in February next year, say hello and share a rum!
Link to your site/blog. Appear on Pozible wall. Invite to exhibition opening.
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Jan 13
Old Sea Dogs limited edition poster and postcard. Appear on Pozible wall. Invite to exhibition opening.
5 chosen
Est. delivery is Mar 13
Old Sea Dog limited edition poster and pack of 5 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. Invite to exhibition opening.
11 chosen / 39 available
Est. delivery is Mar 13
Old Sea Dog limited edition poster and pack of 10 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening. <br />
5 chosen / 45 available
Est. delivery is Mar 13
Old Sea Dogs limited edition cap and pack of 5 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening.
1 chosen / 24 available
Est. delivery is Mar 13
Old Sea Dogs limited edition cap and pack of 10 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening.
0 chosen / 25 available
Est. delivery is Mar 13
Old Sea Dogs limited edition cap, signed poster and pack of 10 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening.
2 chosen / 23 available
Est. delivery is Mar 13
Special Reward!<br /> <br /> Go for a sail on my 26ft Thunderbird "Chatterbox" one sunny afternoon this summer.<br /> <br /> The date will be worked out once the fundraiser is finished.<br /> <br /> You'll also get a cap and appear on my Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening and named as silver sponsor.
2 chosen / 1 available
Est. delivery is Jan 13
Special Reward! <br /> <br /> Meet an Old Sea Dog and go for a sail. <br /> <br /> My Dad has very generously offered to take 5 people out on "Vite" on a summers afternoon. The date will be worked out once the fundraiser is finished. <br /> <br /> You'll also get a cap and appear on my Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening and named as silver sponsor.<br />
0 chosen / 5 available
Est. delivery is Apr 13
2 x Old Sea Dog unframed prints signed by artist, cap and pack of 10 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening and named as silver sponsor.<br /> <br /> **Sponsor may select print of choice.
0 chosen / 10 available
Est. delivery is Apr 13
3 x Old Sea Dog unframed prints signed by artist, cap and pack of 10 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening and named as Gold sponsor.<br /> <br /> **Sponsor may select prints of choice.
1 chosen / 1 available
Est. delivery is Apr 13
Portrait session with the artist and framed print of work produced. Old Sea Dogs cap and pack of 10 postcards. Appear on Pozible wall. VIP invite to exhibition opening and named as Platinum sponsor.<br /> <br /> **Sponsor may select print of choice.
0 chosen / 1 available
Est. delivery is Mar 13