Stonehouse South

Albert Seaman's Paintings, Drawings and Essays

Stonehouse South, N.S.

Alkyd on Masonite. Image size 8" (20.3 cm) by 10" (25.4 cm) © 1994

Typical of many coves and inlets along the coast of Nova Scotia, the Stonehouse region near to Lunenburg still retains its image as a fishing village. But the leaning red fish house with a decaying roof in the centre of the picture shows only too well how the times have changed. When this painting was made, the hardy inhabitants relied mainly upon other industries for their livelihood.

When my wife and I were exploring this part of the coast, to collect the material from which this painting was made, a young boy of about 6 joined us in conversation. He was waiting for the school bus to drop off his older brother at the little cottage behind this viewpoint. In the carefree manner of a child, he described the small neighbourhood that provided the focus of his life. When offered a candy bar, he ran back across the road to obtain permission from his mother, who evidently decided that the strangers were relatively harmless.

Picture status - In a private collection.