Men of the Sea combines my textile art practice of weaving with paper, netting and family photographs. The work was created as a homage to the long line of male relatives who were involved with ships, boats and the ocean.

The sculpture consists of 18 double-sided wood and paper screens arranged in a concertina shape which sits on a bed of handmade netting. The screens feature woven surfaces made with hand-painted paper and are adorned with images and words.

The 28 family photographs in this piece depict 5 generations over a 100-year timespan. The images illustrate men fishing, lobstering, deep sea diving, and building boats. These family members were ship captains, engineers and able-body seamen. Some were in the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and others worked for the Steamship Authority, but most were self-employed. All worked the waters in and around Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod for generations.