George Wilkinson Paintings & Scrimshaw

Several of my favourite paintings which I posted several years ago. In my personal collection.

Top Sail Schooner J.R.Tolkien. Acrylic on canvas 20x16 Built as a sea going tug in 1963 she was named the Dierkow. Later sold and converted to a sailing vessel circa 1998 she was renamed in honour of the British author J.R. Tolkien. Registered in the Netherlands, the ship is used for passenger cruises on the Baltic Sea and European waters. I was inspired to do this painting after a recent social media chat with a fine young lady friend who is a member of the ships crew. Fair winds Erika.

This painting has been in exhibition at the Mystic Maritime Art Gallery in Connecticut for some time. I am delighted in a way to hear it was sold a few days ago. However, when the paintings go, it’s like saying farewell to a close friend. Thermopylae was designed for the China tea trade, and set speed records on her maiden voyage to Melbourne63 days, still the fastest trip under sail.

Tall Ship Christian Radich Watercolour 16X14 The vessel is a full-rigged three-masted Norwegian tall ship built in 1937 used primarily as an ambassador and t...raining vessel. The hull is steel and sleek and can make up to 14 knots under sail. I dedicate this painting to my childhood Norwegian friend Vickie (Lie) Turner who’s father many years ago took me on frequent visits to Norwegian ships docked in Montreal. Wonderful impressions. See more

Star of India Gouche on Canvas. 20x16 Nice to be back in my studio. Started this painting several weeks ago. Finished today. Unfortunately too late for for... the annual CSMA exhibition. I get to hang another ship painting in the house for awhile. My wife will not be pleased. The Star of India was initially called the Euterpe and sailed as a full rigged ship. Refer to one of my earlier painting posts. After sailing around the world 21 times she was eventually sold to the Alaska Packers' Association of San Francisco in 1901, who re-rigged her as a barque (converting the square-rigged aftermost mast to fore-and-aft) and in 1906, changed her name to the Star of India. In 1926, Star of India was sold as a museum to the Zoological Society of San Diego, California. The 1863 Star of India is the fourth oldest ship afloat in the United States, after the 1797 USS Constitution, the 1841 Charles W. Morgan, and 1854 USS Constellation, and is the oldest ship in the world that still sails occasionally. See more

Proud to be exhibiting with the some of the finest artists.

Godspeed 20x16 gouache on canvas Godspeed the ship! Her anchor’s up, Her sails are spreading in the breeze;... With filling eyes and foaming cup We now commit her to the seas;.............. VALE OF LANHERNE AND OTHER POEMS Written by H. Sewell Stokes.

The Explorer Watercolour On Canvas. 20x16 HM Bark Endeavour was a Whitby built coal transport vessel later converted to a Royal Navy research ship commanded by lieutenant James Cook on his first voyage of discovery from 1768 to 1771.... She later served as a British military vessel in the American Revolutionary War and was sunk during a blockade off Rhode Island. I long to once again set sail and smell the salt air.

Knots For Tea. 16x20’’ Acrylic on Canvas Launched in 1868 Thermopylae was regarded to have been the finest clipper ever built and described in her day as the pride of the British merchant marine. Thermopylae was specifically designed for the intensive demands of the China tea trades. Painting every day stimulates the minds eye.

Euterpe 16x20 acrylic on canvas (latest painting whilst in self isolation). Named for Euterpe, the muse of music, she was a full-rigged iron ship (a ship that is square-rigged on all three masts). She was British built and launched on 14 November 1863. In 1901, Euterpe was sold to the Alaska Packers' Association of San Francisco, who re-rigged her as a barque (converting the square-rigged aftermost mast to fore-and-aft) and was eventually renamed Star Of India. Star of In...dia is home-ported at the San Diego Maritime Museum. I had the pleasure of visiting the ship at the conclusion of my wonderful adventure on the tall ship Stad Amsterdam. See more

Whaling In Northern Seas 16X20 Watercolour on Canvas On 12 September 1871, over 1,200 whalers aboard 33 whaling vessels were stranded in the Arctic Ocean as their ships were trapped by pack ice. The ships were apparently destroyed in a matter of weeks. However, captains, crew, officers and some of their families on board were all rescued by seven nearby whaling ships, But to save the a large number of whalers, the rescuing fleets had to throw away their precious cargo of whale oil and bone as well as the expensive whaling gear to make room for the survivors. The incident supposedly marked the demise of commercial whaling in the United States

Quarantine Acrylic on canvas 29x16 During the 18th and 19th centuries, yellow fever scares led to ships being put under quarantine, raising a yellow flag during the day and shining a light at night until it was safe to enter the ports. The abominable yellow flag, still marks our ship as ‘plague smitten.’ Every boat steers off from us, afraid of contamination, wrote a traveler named Edwin Montague, while his ship was docked at the Spanish port Mahon in 1848, en route back to America from the Holy Land.

I am delighted to announce that I have been elected by the Board of Directors of The Pacific Rim Institute of Marine Artists as a Signature Member. Such an honour to share an easel with such prominent artists. Check out PRIMA’s web site and membership at http://primamaritime.org