Some people have to die before they go to heaven. But some are really lucky, and get to live in what is a heaven to them, without the expense of a fancy funeral.

My husband John rowing Lambie.

Having been a pretty much lifetime crew for my husband John, sailing was an important part of both his and my lives.  Having started painting at the age of 6, art was right up there as well.  So, a decade ago, when a nice little farm came on the market on Whidbey Island, we went for it.  A few minutes to the Oak Harbor Marina, and surrounded by the thriving island artist’s community made Whidbey super attractive.  After living here for over a decade, we know it is a heaven on earth for us.

"One, gusting to Three", "Finest Kind" a Friendship sloop who lives in the waters off Whidbey, original watercolor painting by Claire Acord, copyright, all rights reserved, 2015.

Soon after moving here we started going to the Port Townsend Wooden Boat festival, this lead to involvement with the Traditional Small Craft Association – Puget chapter (which I am now President of) and my getting my very own beautiful wooden boat, Lambie a Pete Culler designed 10.5’  lapstrake wherry/yawlboat.

But, what would any painter do with confronted with that much beauty floating all around?  Well, paint right?  So, I became focused mainly on marine painting.  My paintings have been very well received by the boating community, I am fortunate to have my work collected internationally;  a real high point was having one of my paintings chosen for the 2012 artwork on the PT Wooden Boat Festival poster.  These days most of my painting is commissioned boat portraits.  I am a member of the American Society of Marine Artists.

My latest project, turning a digital image of one of my paintings into a poster for the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, a very fun thing to do!

To contact me e-mail: whidbeyboatpainter@gmail.com

Yeah, that's me.

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