News and Events
Journey 3: Issues and Management
Art of the Waterman: Simison Collection - October 30, 2010
Sponsored by the Center for Environment and Society, the Office of the Dean, and Massoni Art of Chestertown, Washington College hosted the opening of ‘The Art of the Waterman—The Simison Collection" in conjunction with the Washington College’s premier program, the Chesapeake Semester.
Created by the late Dr. Diane Simison as an educational exhibit that would inform its viewers of the culture and life of the Chesapeake Bay Waterman, Washington College’s Kohl Gallery was honored to be the first host of such a wonderful collection.
Using the deep and rich oral history that the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum has collected over the years, curator Pete Lesher opened the evening with compelling stories of the challenges and issues surrounding the working watermen of the Chesapeake, their livelihoods, and their culture throughout history and today.
Invited guests were then asked to join the students of the Chesapeake Semester as they shared insights into the artist’s inspiration and the collector’s intent, with additional elements of their own personal experience over the Semester meeting with waterman, farmers, and policy makers.
Also see the video of Marc Castelli and the Chesapeake Semester featured on Nautica’s "Ocean 2 Ocean" blog of stories from America’s coastal regions.
Click to enlarge photos by Chesapeake Semester Program Manager Mike Hardesty '05.
Marc Castelli has been painting and photographing waterman on the Chesapeake for over 20 years. He is pictured here with his good friend Wayne Wilson who owns the Basket Case out of Rock Hall.
Marc helped the students understand why he chose the subject matter in each of his paintings with a personal gallery tour.
Kathy Thornton '13
Danielle Crystal '12 poses with a gallery guest. All of the picture scripts were done by Linsley Rice who personally knew and worked with the collection's owner, Diane Simison.
Elle O'Brien '12 with CBMM curator Pete Lesher.
Baltimore, MD - November 1, 2010
Chesapeake Semester students would visit with Eliza Smith Steinmeier, the Baltimore Harbor Keeper in her northern Baltimore City office to contrast the issues that she faces in a hyper-urban watershed to the issues that River Keepers of the rural Eastern Shore face.
In the afternoon they would travel to Steinweg Port Facility to learn more about Baltimore's port as an economic engine for the State. The students would finish the day at Baltimore's National Aquarium.
As the Baltimore Harbor Keeper, Eliza Smith Steinmeier rarely deals with agricultural issues affecting water quality. Her organization deals largely with storm water run-off and industry based pollution.
The Chesapeake Semester students' next visit was with Rupert Denney, General Manager of the Holland based C. Steinweg Inc., a private facility in Baltimore's Port Authority.
Mr. Denney speaks with Paige Sanford '13 about the non-ferrous commodity market. Thousands of tones of Siberian aluminum can be seen in the background.
Another commodity that C. Steinweg deals in is raw cocoa from West Africa. Due to poor planning and a gap between cocoa bush planting, Mr. Denney said that we can expect a short supply of raw cocoa in the near future.
The National Aquarium! Paige Sanford '12, Kathy Thornton '13; Danielle Crystal; Jack Wells '12; and Elle O'Brien '12 stand on their representative home area.
A one-flippered sea turtle.
Kathy Thornton' 13, "I wonder if the fairytale about a frog can be the same for a grouper…?"
In the rainforest terrarium at the Aquarium.
"On the count of three…Chesapeake Semester for life!"