Abaco Art Show

Being among friends in Abaco seems to bring out the best in people, and this year was no exception. Everyone got involved, whether it was water aerobics, yoga, basket weaving, walking or jewelry. For those that had never done it, there were those willing to help - and the results were remarkable.

"Yoga at eleven," was the call each Monday, Wednesday and Friday on the RMHYC Cruising Net, and though it was an exceptionally cold winter season, the brave ventured into the water for aerobics. "It all helps the body" was the by-word for those involved, and when you get to be our age, the body needs all the help it can get.

While the athletics types worked off their energy, some of the more artistic took an opportunity to perfect their craft, or learn from others new techniques. Kathy Sales is a new to water colors and enjoyed her time perfecting her stroke and color combinations.

And while she was dabbling in the paint, others were seeing what they could do with pine needles and rafia. An endless number of hours go into creating baskets and bowls, and while some were honing the basic techniques, others created masterful pieces of art. While some were not as complex in their design, every basket was in and of itself, a work of art.

Jewelry crafting was another past time, using sea beans, sea glass or the beans removed from tree pods. The variety of necklasses, bracelets and ornamental pins was endless, each artist having their own style and technique. Some of the artists sold their creations at the local flea markets and art shows.

One of the more creative ventures was provided by our friend Ray Vallerie. He created a scale model of his own boat - Last Dance - our of scrap wood and bits and pieces he could scavange around the marina. That is his boat in the background. The sailboat in the foreground was one he completed last year which is a replica of a boat owned by a close friend. The hours Ray put into these were endless, and his attention to detail was remarkable.

At the end of our cruising season we put together our own art show, giving everyone an opportunity to display their creations. Carolyn had an opportunity to display some of the artwork created by students in her class at Every Child Counts.

For many of the projects they used shells and other natural items from the island. The most popular creations were the rubbings made with tin foil using plastic forms with various pictures. As you can see they were colored by the students with permanent markers and frames were design to enhance the pictures.

All in all it was an enjoyable winter cruising season, and it seems most everyone had an opportunity to get involved in one project or another. It seems that many of the lessons learned will be things which enrich the lives of those participating.