38 CRUISE Summer 2005 www.cruisemagazine.net

Boats and brushstrokesHis paintings hang on the walls of boats and hotels all over the

world, but acclaimed marine artist Rodney Charman has his

roots firmly in the New Forest as Dan Hayes discovers

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The quaint town of Lymington, buried away at the southern end of the New Forest, is not particularly famous for anything well known. Dennis Wheatley, acclaimed author of books on the occult used to live here, a few of the traditional local pubs are owned by members of the band Dire Straits and cult movie director Ken Russell lives here.

However, what Lymington is most well known for, to those that are in the know, is sailing. Situated a stones throw across the Solent from Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and only 25 minutes drive from the cruise liner capital Southampton, the utterly unique phenomenon of having four tides a day has meant

the primary industry in this entire area is boats and boat building. Lymington is truly one of the most beautiful coastal towns in England, spoilt only by the inevitable property development that has resulted from the discovery en masse of such an undisclosed utopia.

Another resident of this nautical never-never land is Rodney Charman, indeed his whole life has been as a local. Gently sipping tea in the tranquil surroundings of his home, which is a beautiful converted bungalow situated on a hill on the outskirts of Lymington, Rodney explains that it’s essential that the windows of his studio face north. This ensures that as much natural daylight shines into his studio as possible.

The house itself has an impressive view across the whole town and as we sit outside enjoying the sunshine and the view, Rodney tells of how he would make model ships as a child and study the plans of vessels, often drawing the method of building in thumbnail sketches, whilst at other times he would copy illustrations of ships in watercolour.

‘In his spare time when away on service my father used to produce small oil paintings of warships, and I think there was a desire to emulate that,’ he recalls.

At school, when the choice arose between undertaking art or technical drawing Rodney opted for the latter, based upon an idea that this might be more useful in the future.

‘I didn’t think for one moment I’d ever become an artist!’After leaving school, he took a number of mundane jobs, including one on

the Lymington-to-Yarmouth Isle of Wight ferry, but eventually he joined a large local engineering firm.

‘I was so bored with the environment that I’d pass the time by drawing caricatures of other workers. Then someone suggested I should put this artistic ability and interest to a more productive use and urged me to apply for a position in the publicity department. I took along some of

Left: Queen Mary 2 on her maiden voyage in 2004. Above: Titanic leaves Southampton on her maiden voyage. ‘I had the good fortune to meet a lady who survived the sinking and she very kindly signed my prints for me.’

Below: Rodney in his happiest environment.

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my (what was then early) paintings of ships and to my complete surprise they offered me the job.’

For his 21st birthday he was given a set of oil paints by his grandfather and he began painting in his spare time. Early commissions for paintings of horses failed to engage Rodney’s full enthusiasm; he had fallen under the spell of the great marine artist Monatague Dawson, in Rodney’s words, ‘the greatest painter of the sea’.

Thus he began to paint tall ships, influenced by the style of his hero, and found that galleries in both in London and Lymington could find ready customers for his work. At the same time Rodney began showing his work at the Royal Society of Marine Artists. But painting was still a part-time occupation and an increasingly taxing job added with the demands of starting a family meant that in 1979 some choices had to be made.

‘I made the decision to dedicate myself entirely to painting in 1979, I felt that I didn’t want to reach retirement and look back and wonder what could have happened.’

This was also a time when Rodney took a long hard look about just how he was going to tackle the very subject matter of marine painting.

‘I came to the conclusion that I was simply one of many artists painting clipper ships at sea and the subject was becoming hackneyed. I really had to get a new perspective on it, so I began painting ships in harbour, be it China, London or New York. I also wanted to try and extend my horizons.’

Three years later and while journeying to New York to deliver two paintings to an exhibition, a representative from the prestigious Kennedy Galleries bought both before Rodney had even had a chance to submit them. Rodney was confident he could make a living from his paintings.

His passion for all things marine means he focuses on a number of different subjects, including cruise liners, tall ships and harbour scenes. Only recently he was commissioned to paint the Queen Mary 2 before she was launched so that prints were available for her maiden voyage. ‘This meant that I was working from plans and photos of the ship as she was being built.’

As she appeared out of the mist on Southampton Water on Boxing Day 2003 Rodney was on the water taking photographs of the historic event.

As the Queen Mary 2 left to begin her maiden voyage to America in January last year from Southampton, Rodney was there. ‘The weather forecast for that day was appalling and the ship wasn’t due to leave until the evening. I was on the water and it was bitterly cold. We watched the ship as the night got darker and colder.’

‘Eventually her lines were cast off and she reversed slowly down the river followed by a flotilla of small boats. She came to a standstill and many of her lights were then turned off. Then for about three glorious minutes there was the most spectacular firework display. It totally made up for the hours waiting in the cold and the rain. I just had to paint the scene as I saw it.’

Rodney has been painting scenes as he sees them for over 30 years. ‘I consider it a privilege to be able to make a career out of a personal interest that to begin with was a hobby and has been able to grow to something that inspires and allows me to be totally creative.’

Clockwise from above: The return of the Canberra from the Falklands conflict in 1982 • Jolie Brise, winner of the first Fastnet Race in 1925 • The Queen Mary 2 leaves Southampton on her maiden voyage • A scene from the days of Herman Melville’s writings; a whaling ship on the eve of departure from Nantucket • The Grand Canal, Venice.

‘ I painted a scene of Poole quay by gaslight…it became the third highest selling print in the UK’

COMPETITIONOne lucky reader can win a 26" x 19" (approx) limited edition print of the Queen Mary 2, Maiden Voyage 2004 as seen on the opening page.

This beautiful print depicts the great new liner in open seas on her maiden voyage and it will be signed by the artist Rodney Charman.

Simply send a postcard with your name and address to: Artist Competition, Cruise magazine, PO Box 207, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 0YF before August 31st 2005.

Normal rules and conditions apply. The editor’s decision is final.

CONTACT:

Rodney Charman

www.maritimeartist.co.uk

Tel: +44 (0)1590 672 023

Email: info@maritimeartist.co.uk