Local art lovers and marine history buffs alike are expected to enjoy a new exhibit at the Maritime of Museum of B.C. featuring the work of renowned maritime artist John Horton.
“This exhibit is an incredible boon for Victoria,” said collections and exhibits manager Heather Feeney in a news release. “Horton’s devotion to perfectionism, his technical and historical accuracy, and his deep connection with the stories of the vessels he depicts is evident in even one example of his work. The opportunity to view a retrospective exhibition is a rare dream for anyone with an appreciation for marine art.”
Horton is a founding member of the Canadian Society of Marine Artists, a member of the Federation of Canadian Artists and the Royal Naval Sailing Association, a lifeboat commander with the Canadian Lifeboat Institution, and he's a recipient of the Order of British Columbia.
One especially special piece joining the exhibit is a new oil painting of the museum’s 1897 sailing vessel Dorothy. The painting – Dorothy, Running into Sansum Narrows – depicts the 128-year-old sloop in a stiff breeze.
Last year, Dorothy won the Best Restored Sailing Vessel Under 40 Feet award at the Classic Boat Awards in 2024, along with a Victoria Classic Boat Festival award during the 2024 festival. Her refit was a shared effort, starting with shipwright and artist Tony Grove, and was completed by the volunteers at the Ladysmith Maritime Society led by boatwright and historian Robert Lawson.
A single painting embodies so much maritime history and so many stories,” said Feeney. “We’re delighted that Horton’s beautiful oil paintings will be right here in Victoria this spring at the Maritime Museum of BC.”
The exhibit – The Marine Art of John Horton: From Nine to Ninety – is on display at the Douglas Street museum from April 4 to June 1. For more information, visit www.mmbc.bc.ca.
