Artful oil spills

Luis Pena

The Ticonderoga, which made Newport Beach its home in the late ‘80s,

is just one of 43 paintings being displayed beginning Saturday at the

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

The Maritime Paintings of Caleb Whitbeck comprise part of the

museum’s Fine Art series. The only nautical museum in Orange County

brings exhibits that represent the local area and the nautical

heritage of the West Coast. The Whitbeck exhibit will be the first

full display of his work in Southern California, said Glen Zagoren,

chief executive of the museum.

“Art is the best visual way to document maritime history,” said

Marcus De Chevrieux, curator of the museum.

Whitbeck is a San Francisco-based marine artist who works in oils

and water colors. He is a member of the American Society of Marine

Artists who has been painting a force for nearly 50 years, Chevrieux

said. The exhibit will feature 16th century exploration vessels,

modern containment ships and racing yachts in oils and water colors,

Chevrieux said.

“When you look at a Whitbeck painting, you know that the waves,

the sails, the tides, the sky, the smoke, the clouds -- everything is

doing what it’s supposed to be doing,” Chevrieux said.

The Ticonderoga, Curlew and the Sea Drift, all of which have a

history in Newport waters, are part of the “Famous Yachts of Newport”

collection painted by the artist. The exhibit was commissioned by

museum benefactor George Hoedinghaus.

The Ticonderoga, also known as the “Big Ti,” was designed by L.

Francis Herreshoff and launched in 1936. The yacht has an impressive

sailing record, spanning 50 years, Chevrieux said.

The Curlew was designed by John Alden and built in 1926. The

schooner has won both the Master Mariner’s Regatta and the America’s

Schooner Cup race in San Diego. The Curlew made its home in Newport

Harbor in the ‘90s, Chevrieux said.

The knowledge of vessels and how they work in the water doesn’t

solely come from his years of painting them. Whitbeck is also a

longtime sailor and member of the San Francisco-based St. Francis

Yacht Club, Chevrieux said.

The exhibit will run through Sept. 12.