As a longtime master captain and artist, Paul Brooke Jr. strives to capture visual records of the sea.
His unique perspective combining his two passions will be on display at the upcoming Hotel Moraine (62005 County Road 48, Greenport, 631-477-1776) exhibition titled The Waterman’s Archive.
“The inspiration wasn’t just about exploring a specific technique; it was about finding a cohesive way to translate the fleeting, volatile and beautiful moments I experience out on the water into tangible artwork,” says Brooke. “Whether I am exposing a life-size cyanotype of a wild catch using the direct midday sun, layering a modern maritime narrative in raw squid ink over a historical, antique nautical chart or freezing the sub-surface mystique of the sea at sunrise through a camera lens, I am functioning as a visual historian.”
Brooke, who’s currently based in East Hampton, spent 20 years living in Montauk.
He currently leads inshore and offshore sportfishing charters, captaining a 27-foot Pursuit Denali and a 21-foot Steiger Craft. In the winter he expands his offerings to Rincón, Puerto Rico, taking guests spearfishing, fishing, whale watching and snorkeling. Brooke is also a commercial shell fisherman and free diver for his company, Montauk Wild Oysters Co., foraging wild oysters and clams for private masterclasses and culinary experiences.
His art was directly inspired by his work on the water, tapping into his experience with navigation and angling and his background as a deckhand and helmsman in heavy commercial offshore operations and local fisheries.
(Photo credit: Paul Brooke Jr.)
“Initially inspired by a childhood fascination with National Geographic, my connection to the ocean naturally led me to pick up a camera,” says Brooke. “Over the last 13 years as a fine art photographer, the ocean has remained my muse. Living and working directly in that environment makes me want to document those fleeting, unscripted moments, especially when the natural light and the surf conditions align perfectly.”
The idea for The Waterman’s Archive — which will be on display from July 9 to Aug. 11 with an opening reception on July 11 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the north cottage — spurred organically from Brooke’s position in the art world and as a waterman.
The exhibition includes three series titled Blue Harvest, The Nature’s Palimpsest and Fine Art Photography, all exploring different mediums, including life-sized cyanotypes using contact painting to record biological textures of sea life harvested from the Atlantic Ocean; layered antique and archival nautical charts combined with squid ink; and photography documenting shifting natural light under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean.
To bring this depiction to fruition, Brooke utilized iron compounds, sunlight and sourcing charts as he woke up before dawn to capture the sea’s hidden elements along with aesthetic accounts of sea life.
“There’s a beautiful duality to it — some viewers connect immediately with the familiar local geography of the antique charts, while others are fascinated by the technical mechanics of the cyanotype process itself.”
Learn more about Brooke and his work on his website.
