On the Dock

This 9" x 13" watercolor painting grew out of a recent visit to Spruce Head, a busy working lobster port south of Rockland, Maine. When lobsters are hauled, they are banded and go into a holding cage on the boat. They are banded not only to protect humans from bites but also because they are very territorial and will fight, tear off claws and eat each other. At the dock the catch is unloaded into "lobster cars", the holding boxes shown here stacked on the dock. The cars full of lobster then go back into the water, zip-tied shut, until they are ready for sale/transfer to customers.  It is not uncommon in Maine ports to see groups of these lobster cars strung together and floating at a mooring. Only the flat tops peek above water. In this painting floating lobster cars are indicated by several dark lines in the water near the first post at the dock corner.

"On the Dock" is set in an off-white mat inside a 15 x 19 inch ash frame that has been stained white.  It is protected by museum-quality, anti-UV, anti-reflective Optium 3mm acrylic glazing. It was on exhibit at the New England Watercolor Society Associates show in Plymouth, Massachusetts from September 5-November 5, 2025.