Image
Galleries
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Rich and vibrant colors greet Sanctuary
visitors at sunset. Photo by Dann Blackwood
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"The
artist is not a special kind of man, but every man is a special kind
of artist."
Ananda
Coomaraswamy
(Transformation of Nature in Art, 1934)
There
is beauty in the ocean — in its white-crested waves, in its wide-ranging
creatures, and in its ever-changing skies. Artists have been moved and
inspired by the sea for centuries.
The Stellwagen
Bank National Marine Sanctuary serves as a representative site in the
Gulf of Maine, for scientists, educators, ocean policy analysts, resource
managers — and for artists. Photographers have been visiting Stellwagen
Bank for many years to capture the great whales on film. More recently,
scientists with underwater imaging equipment have been giving us a fish’s
eye view of the sea floor. Scuba divers (capable of handling the cold
waters and fast-moving currents of this deep offshore location) have
also been bringing back exciting images for "landlubbers"
to enjoy.
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The Sanctuary provides inspiration to artists, poets
and photographers. Original painting by Paul Erickson
for the Sanctuary.
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"The
dragon-green, the luminous, the dark,the serpent-haunted sea."
James
Elroy Flecker (The Gates of Damascus, 1913)
This web site offers
a selection of images that focuses on the range of species in local
waters — or the biodiversity. Other galleries present images of
sanctuary uses, from fishing to research; children’s art; maps,
both topical and historical; and a special fine art section with pieces
donated to the Sanctuary from local artists. Winners of the annual Massachusetts
Marine Educators Art Contest will be displayed here as well.
Poetry about
the Sanctuary, the sea in general, and the creatures that inhabit that
world are also welcome in our special "Painting in Words"
section. We are pleased to be able to offer two poems from Pulitzer
Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver.
The Sanctuary
is always on the look-out for new contributions to this section. Please
contact us if you would like to see your sea images (pictures or words)
displayed on the web.
