July 1st, 2014
Jack Wiberg, Maritime Artist, “Lighthouses of Delaware Bay”, Paintings, Limited Edition Prints, Wiberg Art Gallery, Baltimore Ave., Downtown Rehoboth Beach, Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware, Water-side Landmarks, Historic and Iconic
“The earliest lighthouses were simply bonfires built on hillsides to guide ships. The first American light came to life in 1716 at Boston Harbor.”
Widely acclaimed maritime artist, Jack Wiberg, presents a new series of 8 paintings, and limited edition prints, capturing the historic significance and charm of the lighthouses of Delaware Bay.
Born and raised in Wilmington, and a graduate of the University of Delaware, artist Jack Wiberg, has been painting for more than 40 years, including training with revered master oil artists such as Silva Fernandes. Specializing in marine art, with a focus on documentaed naval events and historical location and ships, Wiberg says he remains enamored with the mystery and grace of the water and its vessels. “With the sailing ship, there’s a certain beauty in them that doesn’t exist in today’s ships – container ships,” he explains. “I like things that flow and have lines that catch your eye – the mood of the ocean, and of the sky…there’s so much you can capture in a marine painting.”
"Brandywine Shoals" - Built in 1850.
Jack Wiberg’s work has been exhibited in group and solo shows throughout the U.S. and is in private collections around the world. He is a professional member of The International Society of Marine Painters and a member of The American Society of Marine Artists. Most recently, Wiberg’s painting of The USS Delaware was selected to be included in an elite grouping of paintings, curated by the American Society of Marine Artists, to illustrate a documentary on the War of 1812 developed in conjunction with Temple University and a number of other museums.
"Fourteen Foot Bank Light" Bowers Beach, Delaware. Built in 1888.
He states that he has been planning the Lighthouse Series for quite some time, noting that these buildings are notorious, beloved by local and travelers alike. He researched the structures thoroughly, he says, spending several months traveling around the bay, exploring the history and modern functionality of these water-side landmarks. “The Delaware Bay was an extremely dangerous place,” explains Wiberg, stating that the lighthouses marked dangerous shoals of mud, and rock lying deep below the surface of the water. Heavy fog and wild storms were an ever present threat.
Lighthouses represented in the series include: the Cape May Lighthouse, the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse, the Delaware Breakwater East End Light, the Brandywine Shoal Lighthouse, the Miah Maull Shoal Lighthouse, the Mispillion Light, the Fourteen Food Bank Lighthouse and the Ship John Shoal Lighthouse, spreading from locations in New Jersey, to Milford and points southward, on the Delaware side of the bay.
“I have tried to capture some of the changing mood of the Bay, from the tranquility of a moonlit night, to the storms lashing the Miah Maull Lighthouse, to the colorful sunsets and brisk blue sky,” he states. Wiberg describes a longtime draw to coastal Delaware, where he has been living for the past 18 years. “I had always wanted to retire here to be close to the ocean,” he reflects. “We think the Delaware coast is the best in the country.”
The “Lighthouses of Delaware Bay” oil paintings took nearly a year to complete, says the artist. In order to allow admirers to enjoy and embrace the history of the Delaware Bay lighthouses, Wiberg has printed each original piece in a very limited edition of 50 signed and numbered giclee prints on canvas, making the work, and the full set, more affordable.
"Harbor of Refuge" Located off Cape Henlopen, where the ocean meets the Delaware Bay. Built in 1896.
Harbor of Refuge - My own photo, 2013.
To view the full set of original paintings, visit the Wiberg Art Gallery, located at 20 Baltimore Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Website? http://www.wibergartgallery.com. Email: wibergart@aol.com. You can find Jack Wiberg Art on Facebook, as well.
Orders for limited edition giclee prints are being accepted now. Those with interest in the full set of prints will be granted special consideration to ensure they receive the same edition number on all prints. For more information, please visit the above mentioned website, or the artist’s Facebook Page at “Jack Wiberg Art”.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later.
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