Commemorative print of Bates rowers on the Androscoggin
Bates is now offering for purchase a signed, limited-edition print by Maine artist John Gable, showcasing what he calls the “signature intimacy, athleticism, power and sense of landscape” of Bates rowers competing on the Androscoggin River, as seen through a canopy of pines from a shoreline crowded with spectators.
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Click on the above image to view a larger version of “On the Androscoggin: The Bates-Bowdoin-Colby Races,” a canvas painting by John Gable. |
A highly regarded artist known for his commemorative rowing and sailing artwork and murals for select corporations, restaurants and museums, Gable was commissioned by Bates parents Don and Cindy Falvey of Phippsburg, Maine, for this fund-raising project for the rowing program.
The artist has signed and numbered 450 prints of ”On the Androscoggin: The Bates-Bowdoin-Colby Races,” which are available for $125 each. Gable has also made available 50 prints, for $175 each, featuring the artist’s hand-drawn remarque, either a Bates rowing graphic or a Hathorn Hall design, on the print border.
About the print
The print is of an original acrylic painting on canvas and measures 16 inches by 21 inches. Including borders, the print dimensions are 21 inches by 25 inches.
- $125 for a signed and numbered copy of John Gable’s print “On the Androscoggin: The Bates-Bowdoin-Colby Races.” (All proceeds go to Bates rowing.)
- $175 for a special “On the Androscoggin” print bearing the artist’s hand-drawn remarque, either a Bates rowing graphic or Hathorn Hall design. ($150 goes to support Bates rowing.)
Ordering information
Print and complete Rowing Print Order Form and mail to: Rowing Office, 130 Central Ave., Lewiston ME 04240. Or, e-mail Peter Steenstra, assistant coach of Bates rowing, or phone 207-786-6352.
Tax benefits
Your payment is considered a gift to Bates, and you will receive a receipt from the Advancement Office stating such for tax purposes.
The artist
To get a feel for Bates rowing on the Androscoggin, John Gable attended and photographed the Colby-Bates-Bowdoin President’s Cup in spring 2005. Employing a bit of artistic license in the final painting to evoke fall colors, Gable retained the striking golden cast of sunlight around the time of the equinox. ”It’s a distinctive way the light falls through the evergreens in the foreground,” he noted.
Having executed similar commemorative paintings for other premier colleagiate rowing programs, Gable quickly identified with the scene before him. “When I paint rowers, whether college amateurs or Olympic athletes, the overall feeling is the same: there’s athletic tension, physical power, the will to win and tremendous discipline.”
Capturing the spectators’ perspective is also important. “I like to combine the action of athletes with the support of the crowd,” said Gable. “In many ways, this image is about the idea of support for Bates student-athletes.”
Very familiar with rowing’s signature events, like the Head of the Charles, and sailing’s America’s Cup (three times Gable was commissioned to create the official commemorative painting), the artist also enjoyed the interplay of place and sport on the Androscoggin. “I took great satisfaction in painting a river that’s become so much healthier,” he said. “The river has come into its own as a wonderful venue for Bates rowing.”
Visit John Gable‘s Web site.