The two oil miniatures of Italian seaside scenes immediately captured my eye, and the more I looked at them the more I had to buy them. Chances are I never would have seen these paintings, or been exposed to works of the artist, Francis Gilbert, a 19th century French painter, had I not been invited aboard SeaFair last month for its maiden Newport appearance.
Marie Younkin-Waldman on board the Seafair
SeaFair graced Newport Harbor this summer with a floating art gallery housing twenty-eight exhibition spaces and gourmet indoor and open air restaurants complete with a caviar bar. The impressive 4-million-dollar craft with its graceful contours sails to ports and docks along the East Coast of the U.S. where affluent art lovers tend to spend their summers. She docked in quiet pomp on a smallish wharf that emphasized her imposing presence. There was a charge in the air as guests were met by the captain, his staff, and a photographer with a fanfare of clicks. Once on board, beyond the hubbub, the world of sound gave way to that of the eye, the imposing length of the corridor – almost as long as a football field – with galleries, each with its own design, flanked the length of the expansive corridor. To my relief, this really was a true “art” gallery and far above the level of what I’ve usually seen in my years of traveling on cruise ships. Anyone who has taken a cruise knows that the art auction is part of a ship’s daily life, like the gift shop, bingo and buffet dining. More often than not, I have struggled with the word, “art,” on board, as opposed to “decoration” as in a souvenir, a or charm bracelet one buys in the glow of a vacation. Too often, too, the word, “investment,” is a lure to a passenger. On a cruise ship, you can’t get off. You’re a captive audience, surrounded by a watery boundary, but SeaFair is more of a true art gallery which moves from one maritime location to another. I was impressed. Each gallery offered its own unique style and quality. The vendors were gracious, and sometimes, invisible. You could float down the corridor and enter each side world gallery and be surprised – Oriental art, glass works, traditional work in the style of old masters, fun new art, furniture …
The vendors and directors themselves sang the praises of the ship and its owner. Glenn Aber, owner of AiBo Fine Asian Art, loved being able to enjoy a fantasy voyage while taking his gallery along with him. David Brooker, of David Brooker Fine Art (who offered the two miniatures I had my eye on), told me that he was enjoying the bay of Newport, far from his homes in London and Connecticut. I smiled as he talked to me, glancing at the wall where Gilbert’s brushstrokes were still moving between the frames.
I didn’t buy them. My only hope is that they will not sell before the SeaFair returns, or perhaps I’ll venture to Greenwich where she docks from September 15th to the 19th.
By Vin Fraioli, author, and song writer
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