Watercolors by
Bill Hudson
Monthly Newsletter
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Darien Shrimp Boats
15" x 22" Watercolor & Casein
by Bill Hudson
With custom frame .... $ 1,550
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Darien Shrimp Boats
.... by Bill Hudson
The port of Darien, with a population of 2,000, is on Georgia’s coast 10 miles from the Atlantic Ocean near the mouth of the Altamaha River, 50 miles South of Savannah. Founded in 1736, by 1820 Darien became a prominent seaport for shipping rice and cotton. But, in 1863 during the Civil War, Darien was looted and destroyed by Union troops. After rebuilding, Darien became a leading lumber port, shipping yellow pine and cypress from 1870 to 1900. As timber depleted, Darien became a fishing village with one of Georgia’s largest shrimp boat fleets.
In 2010, I became an engineering consultant to Georgia Tech and flew there twice a year. I sometimes combined that with driving from Atlanta to Orlando, Florida where my parents and my sister’s family lived. Having grown accustomed to retirement since 2003, in 2011 I decided to take a leisurely route along the Atlantic coast hoping to capture some reference photographs for future paintings. My sister-in-law, Helen, suggested I stop in Darien where her mother Betty lived. I did and discovered the historic port where I spent a few hours taking hundreds of pictures.
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Everything looks peaceful with ships safe at harbor. But that is not what ships are for. From dockside, we only imagine these bottom trawlers, at sea on glassy waters, hauling in nets filled with catch during a spectacular sunrise, with the boat surrounded by the music and beauty of seagulls in flight. But it only takes a brief conversation with a ship’s captain to snap us back to reality.
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Amazing Grace, shown in the far background of my painting, was a 115-foot shrimp trawler built in 1987. In 2011, it was one of the largest ships in the Darien fleet equipped with massive outriggers. In July 2012, Amazing Grace ran aground in Nassau Sound near Jacksonville, Florida.
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BETTY DETTMER
In 2012, I finally met Betty and discovered we have much in common. Betty was born on 11-5-1921 and the family is looking forward to celebrating her 100th birthday in a few weeks. She had lived in Darien from 1982 to 2012. But she was widowed in 2008 and was invited to move west with her daughter Helen and husband George. Thereafter, I enjoyed every meeting with Betty. She honestly looks 70-something and has the wit and humor of a kid. Maybe it’s because she’s an accomplished artist who still appreciates the small things. She’s been a painter with watercolor and acrylics, a flower arranger, and a sculptor.
I was waiting to send this newsletter in a couple of weeks to honor Betty’s upcoming 100th birthday. But yesterday, Betty suffered a stroke on her left side. So, today I’m asking for your thoughts and prayers for Betty.
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SETTING LIFE'S COURSE
Discovering Value and Purpose
by Bill Hudson
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Released June 3, 2021
Paperback .................$ 18.99
eBook ..........................$ 9.99
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Past Newsletters
Events & Galleries
Singulart, an online gallery selling original art from juried artists with free global shipping and returns. I recommend Singulart for any collector or contemporary artist.
Fine Art America, is an online print-on-demand gallery which sells nearly all my images. These are available in a wide range of sizes on many substrates and objects including: coffee cups, shirts, towels, greeting cards, puzzles, phone cases, and tote bags.
Art Instructor, Laguna Methodist Art Association, Mondays in January, 9:30 to 12:30
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