Art captures love affair with boats and the sea

WHO better to hold his first solo exhibition ahead of the arrival of the Tall Ships into Waterford next month than a man who lives by the sea and works on it every week.

Passage East car ferry skipper and well-known Dunmore man John Colfer’s exhibition has opened at the Waterford Museum of Treasures Gallery.

Tall Ships on Paper runs until July 2 and consists of close to 30 watercolours and drawings of sailing ships, particularly Waterford’s historical ships.

He said he is thrilled to have the opportunity to exhibit his works, particularly in the build-up to the internationally renowned Tall Ships Race which is expected to draw up to 250,000 people to Waterford and the South East from July 6-9.

The Dunmore East man has a passion for depicting ships and boats, not surprising as he has over 30 years seagoing experience in a variety of ships ranging from ocean tugs to container ships, dredgers, car ferries and sail boats.

He also lives by the sea and has been involved with the lifeboat there for over 20 years.

While it is his first solo exhibition, he has had single pictures in various exhibitions around the country and has illustrated Richard McElwee’s book The Last Voyages of the Waterford Steamers.

Those who visit the show will also be familiar with his painting of the Dunmore East Lifeboat that was used by the RNLI on a Christmas card.

A permanent display of John’s paintings and drawings depicting the history and loss of the sailing ship, Alfred D Snow, in Waterford Harbour in 1888 is in the Ocean Hotel, Dunmore East.

A modest man about his drawing abilities, John believes in the importance of basic drawing skills and simple tools such as the humble pencil.

“Modern artists often overlook the humble pencil because they lack the basic drawing skills,” he says.