For generations, fishermen have trawled for lobster and haddock in Maine’s waters, unloading their catch on wharves that line the harbors. Many who operate on the state’s working waterfront don’t own the docks they use, and those that do, faced headaches as they sought to rebuild after back-to-back January storms devastated Maine’s coast. In the wake of these storms, several Midcoast artists sought to highlight the grit and resilience of the commercial fishing industry rather than its picturesque, surface-level charm.
Painters and jewelers – including Matt Barter of Barter Art House Gallery and Skye Waterson of Salt and Sap – contributed their work to bolster the Maine Coast Fisherman Association (MCFA) Go! Fish Fund. The new rapid-relief initiative announced on Aug. 9 during MCFA’s Go Fish! Auction fundraiser in South Thomaston, aims to support local fishermen affected by the January storms and future severe weather.
The live auction featured fine art and jewelry by Barter and Waterson, among others. “We wish we could do even more,” said Monique Coombs, MCFA’s director of community programs. “These fishing businesses are integral to our local and state economy, bringing in the high-quality seafood we love in Maine.
Working waterfronts need to be protected and supported.” Barter, a fisherman and painter, has a deep family history on the waterfront. He grew up Downeast in Sullivan, where his father, who ran one of the first mussel harvesting companies in New England, taught him to haul lobster traps.
“We used to dig for blood worms, then head over to my dad’s studio,” said Barter; whose father moonlighted as a painter. “At a young age, I was exposed to that duality – getting your hands dirty onshore then creating beautiful, high-quality work. Those two things are part of my core and it shows – my respect for fishermen is a big theme in my work.
” Both based in Brunswick, Barter and MCFA first teamed up in 2016. Over the years, Barter has donated several prints to the nonprofit, which he chalked up to the fishing community’s values — a “what’s mine is yours mentality” — and admiration for the cause; “they know the price of bait, fuel, how precious time is, and they meet local fisherman where they’re at.” In September, Barter Art House Gallery will donate 10% of sales to jumpstart MCFA’s new fund, in addition to a few prints from his latest exhibition, “Lost at Sea.
” As indicated by Barker’s bricolage technique — reusing objects like barn beams, driftwood, burlap, and rope to create new meanings — much of his creative process is intuitive. Even the abstract faces, a signature of his work, result from experimentation. Matt Barter shows off his Lost at Sea sketchbook outside of his gallery on Cumberland Street in Brunswick.
Laura Sitterly /The Times Record “When I began sculpting, I was trying to make the faces look too exact,” recalled Barker. “It was taking away from the quality of my work. One day, while making my son a Don Quixote sculpture; I slammed a block of wood with a chisel, peeled it back, and a small chunk flew off.
Three strikes later, and I realized I’d made the perfect face.” Barker said he often waits for “inspiration to hit.” When he has an idea, he takes to his sketchbook, drafting visions using different pens and later bringing them to fruition.
For example, his 2023 “GEAR” art installation explored the connection between fishermen and their tools. By anthropomorphizing traps and ropes, the show hones in on the notion that one without the other [a fisherman without his gear] is nothing at all. “Essentially, any piece of wood with a hole and rope pushed through is a buoy,” said Barker.
“My first ‘buoy man’ started out as a fisherman sculpture with a rope through his heart. I’ve since made several iterations, including as part of this new exhibition.” After the January storms, Barker began documenting loss—not just financial loss—boats and homes destroyed, wharves washed to sea—but the blood, sweat, and tears of friends and family who lost hours of pre-season preparation.
When news of the Tara Lin II broke headlines – a fishing trawler wreck with four people on board – Barker decided on the theme for his 2024 exhibition. “Loss is the cornerstone of this show,” said Barker, pointing to a masthead replica of the Tara Lin II and a painting of a husband and wife cooking dinner as a high tide tore through their kitchen. “The fishing industry is on the brink of extinction.
Each year captains are lost by way of natural death and death of the trade.” Barker continues to wrestle with ideas from his “GEAR” installation, particularly his former implication that fishermen, given their vested interest in the sea, are leading the way regarding climate solutions. A new painting he’s working on pokes holes at that theory, noting that while many seamen are nifty, they aren’t necessarily stewards.
“Fishermen know, through experience, the environment is changing,” said Barker. “And they’re crafty; you have to be when you’re on a boat. This new painting, about the recent shift toward pig hide bait, raises questions about how their solutions might impact the seas down the line.
” Barker pointed out prints he was considering contributing to MCFA. One of him and his younger brother fishing in South Goldsboro can be traced back to a two-year stint when he resorted to fishing after moving back from Oregon. During that time, he said he realized he could better support the industry through his art than by hauling traps.
“The issues vary,” said Barker. “From high to general displacement, with the rising cost of living along the coast; fishermen are threatened. What people don’t see is how that spillover affects us all.
Tourists come to sit on a dock, eat a lobster roll, and head home – the fishermen darting around on their boats are just part of their cultural excursion. But, MCFA, myself, and other artists are working to shed light on what actually going on – the hardship working waterfront communities face and solutions for healing.” After living on a sailboat for 10 years, Waterson settled in Searsmont and started her small business, Salt + Sap, in 2017.
Her designs draw inspiration from Maine’s vast landscape; the ocean (Salt) and the forest (Sap). Six years later, the wooden jewelry line has expanded to include a variety of home goods, decor, block prints, and ornaments. According to Waterson, the brand was born below deck, where a makeshift printing station and a CNC router produced the first prints.
Today, computer-controlled tools create clean lines; designs are still sketched on paper but later refined on a tablet. While the creative process has modernized, some of the original designs, such as the buoy and sailboat rigger, are still used. In fact, Waterson donated a matted lobster and lobster boat print (both hand-carved out at sea), along with wire grommet earrings and stickers to boost MCFA’s new rapid relief fund.
She praised artists like Barter, who also donated their work. “I was pleased to have the opportunity to donate to MCFA,” said Waterson. “The vitality of our working waterfront upholds Maine life as we know it.
We must support local fishermen; their products and traditions keep our heritage intact.” Modify your screen name Please sign into your Press Herald account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe .
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