Sunday, March 21, 2010
butler institute of american art
By GUY D’ASTOLFO
dastolfo@vindy.com
YOUNGSTOWN
The work of John Stobart, one of the greatest living maritime artists, will be shown in an exhibition coming to the Butler Institute of American Art.
“The Grandeur of America’s Age of Sail” will open March 28 and run through June 13. Stobart will be present at an opening-day reception and book signing at 1:30 p.m.
The 80-year-old Stobart is a native of England who now splits his time between Westport, Mass., and Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
His work is collected by thousands of people around the world, and his exhibition at the Butler is expected to draw admirers from many states.
“We are expecting enthusiastic crowds from across the region and a fair number of collectors from across America,” said Lou Zona, director of the Butler.
Zona also shed light on the reasons for Stobart’s enduring appeal.
“I think that Stobart’s work is so popular because it is so traditional,” he said. “He employs the same painting technique that has been used for centuries and chooses subject matter that appeals to a very large following. His work is extremely accomplished and to many collectors, very decorative.”
The Stobart exhibition includes more than 60 oil paintings, spanning more than six decades of the artist’s career.
The artist is known for his mastery of the technical details of ships, which he gained by studying drawings and blueprints of century-old vessels.
“[Stobart’s] work is loved by all those who appreciate traditional skills and appealing subjects,” Zona added.
“His work appears timeless and, in a sense, could have been created in the 18th, 19th or 20th century.
“This is the kind of artwork that appeals to a very general audience since it is about extraordinary painting skill and very pleasant themes that virtually everyone will enjoy.”
Stobart’s paintings include masted sailing ships on the open water and in coastal harbors. But he also painted scenes from many inland river ports. In paintings of Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, paddlewheelers churn along the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, respectively, at the turn of the 20th century.
if you go
What: “The Grandeur of America’s Age of Sail,” an exhibition of the artwork of John Stobart
When: March 28-June 13
Where: Butler Institute of American Art, Youngstown