PORT TOWNSEND — For the first time, the Wooden Boat Festival has chosen the work of a Canadian artist for a festival poster.
A black-and-white woodblock print created by British Columbia artist and shipwright Tony Grove was selected as the 2010 Wooden Boat Festival poster art.
“We’ve been looking for a woodblock print for several years, and this year we had several excellent submissions,” said Kaci Cronkhite, director of the annual festival, held in September in Port Townsend.
Cronkhite said that Grove’s piece received the most first- and second-choice votes at an open house for the Northwest Maritime Center and Wooden Boat Festival on Dec. 5.
“We’re thrilled so many people got to participate this year and look forward to working with Tony to promote the festival on both sides of the border,” she added.
Other artists receiving a high number of votes were Doreen Snyder, Jessica Rawlins, Kathleen Nye and Les Cox, Cronkhite said.
A native of Vancouver, British Columbia, Grove is a self-taught artist who has produced work for a variety of clients and illustrated a book for the United Nations.
In 1992, he combined his skills to do custom furniture design and building. In 1995, he co-founded the “Lava group” a collaboration of furniture designer builders in British Columbia who came together for an annual exhibition of new furniture designs.
Grove and his family moved to Gabriola Island in 1999 where he became an instructor at the Silva Bay Shipyard School.
In 2003, he became the school’s head instructor, teaching traditional boatbuilding as well as designing and teaching a course for ship cabinetry and joinery.
Now, Grove is working as a part-time teacher, custom woodworker, boatbuilder and artist.