The storey of HMAV BOUNTY is well known, Pitcairn Island issued in 2019 four stamps showing paintings of HMAV BOUNTY.
The HMAV BOUNTY has such an amazing history that it has become a focus for storytellers, nautical devotees, historians and artists among others. The intrigue of the BOUNTY has created a following which puts it in the top category of sailing vessels and, as such, it has attracted artists who want to capture the essence of the mutiny story on canvas in oils and on paper in watercolour. This stamp issue highlights just four paintings completed in the last fifty years and shows the BOUNTY in different settings. It endeavours to show the ship at its best and includes an image by Roger Morris which is part of an interesting story about the New Zealand-built replica.
$1.00 stamp: John Charles Allcot (1888-1973)
Held by the Maritime Museum of Tasmania, this oil/acrylic painting (1968) shows the BOUNTY approaching Tahiti. Allcot was born in Liverpool, England, son of a mariner. Apprenticed early to Tillotson & Son Ltd, lithographers, he attended classes at the Liverpool Institute and School of Art. In 1906 he worked on the Mersey tugboats and next year sailed as a deck-boy in the barque, Invermark. He loved painting and would scrounge ship's paint, sailcloth and handkerchiefs with which to depict the sea, ships and life on board. Arriving in Sydney in the Miltiades in 1909, Allcot signed on with the old clipper, ANTIOPE. He worked in coastal, island and intercolonial vessels out of Sydney before giving up the sea in 1912. Supporting himself by painting theatre sets, he obtained commissions for ship paintings from Sydney photographers and toured the countryside, completing landscapes which he exhibited regularly with the Royal Art Society of New South Wales from 1920.
Painting to tried and tested conventions, with impeccable attention to detail, Allcot used watercolour and gouache, and oils. His work was prolific and romantic. At a time of great change in the shipping industry, he specialised in nostalgic views of sailing ships and steamers, and found an appreciative market of ship-owners, captains, crews and their families. While best known for his ships, he continued to enjoy painting landscapes. A fellow (1956) of the local Royal Art Society, Allcot was a member of the League of Ancient Mariners and of the Shiplovers' Society. He was elected an honorary life member (1962) of the Australasian Pioneers' Club and appointed O.B.E. in 1970. He died on 13 July 1973 at North Sydney.
$2.10 stamp: Roger Morris (1935 - )
Roger Morris was born in 1935 in Maidenhead, England. His father was a commercial artist and mother an excellent portrait artist. Living on the banks of the Thames and much of his time in or on it, he developed an enthusiasm for watercraft. During WWII he attended various schools and completed his education at the Nautical Training College H.M.S.Worcester on the Thames. The next three years were spent as apprentice deck officer for Furness Withy & Co. gaining the level of 1st.Mate in 1957.
He married and emigrated to New Zealand where he spent much time at sea serving his time to become a Master, but family commitments obliged him to leave seafaring and find employment ashore. After working as a modeller and molder for a short period, he obtained teaching qualifications specialising in art. By the 1970’s he was considerably supplementing his income through painting marine subjects, necessary, as he and Kathleen now had six children. He came to the notice of the publishers Bateman Ltd. NZ., who contracted his first book, Sail Change, a slim volume of paintings and vignettes of sailing ships that had visited New Zealand. In 1981 he went back to sea with the intention of completing his Master’s ticket but found seafaring had changed and the life pretty uninspiring. The BOUNTY replica however had been built in New Zealand to feature in a new film of the epic story. He was invited to join as First Mate and had to quickly learn the practical side of sailing an 18th.C vessel. In 1984 Roger was appointed Master (his ticket serving as Master for ships up to 500 tons). and made the voyage from Whangarei to Los Angeles via Tahiti and Honolulu. He left the BOUNTY in L.A. and returned to New Zealand. This replica is now in Hong Kong harbour but was decommissioned in 2017.
From late in 1984 Roger spent six years painting and writing, resulting in the publishing of many illustrated marine books and he is now an accepted authority on sailing vessels and the history pertaining to them and is frequently consulted by organisations in NZ and overseas. For the past four years he has been a part time lecturer in Maritime History at Massey University, Auckland.
$2.80 stamp John Hagan (1945 - )
Born in Murwillumbah, New South Wales in 1945, John Hagan was classically trained and learned his craft through formal education in Australia (64 -66) and England (1966 - 69) and by studying (1971-75) under a Master Painter William Ross RA, who traced his own training via the Julian Ashton School to the great academic painters of the nineteenth century. Subsequently, he has mastered the techniques of both the 19th Century classic painting method as well as the 20th Century impressionistic manner and has a unique ability to blend them if it is required.
Ten of John Hagan's paintings of his 'BOUNTY' series, including seascapes and portraits of Captain Bligh and Fletcher Christian, all done in 'classic period style’ were featured in a History Channel documentary of the 'BOUNTY Story' first screened, 10th. April 2001, as well as in articles in 'British Heritage' magazine and another nine paintings in a recent Educational Documentary.
John Hagan has taught and practiced the art of painting for most of his life. Currently his drawing and painting lessons are used by hundreds of schools and universities around the world either via the internet or directly from his CD 'John Hagan's Art Lessons'.
Hagan lectures and gives public demonstrations of painting technique. He has had many solo exhibitions in the last thirty years and is represented in international private collections. John is a diligent and consummate professional when it comes to his craft. He works totally with 'artist' quality pigments, the most reliable of oils and varnishes, on heavy top quality, inert stretched canvas or wooden panels.
$3.00 stamp Alfred Memelink (1961 - )
Alfred was born in Wellington and was drawn to the sea and harbour from a very young age. Whilst working his way up from apprentice marine engineer to junior and then Chief Engineer, he led an adventurous life at sea, sailing to exotic places.
Alfred taught himself to paint at sea. He feels at one with watercolours which proved to be the ideal hobby to take to sea. His paintings continue to show his special affinity for the sea and the local area where he still lives and loves. Alfred is passionate about painting landscapes of the lower North Island and in particular Wellington, a city he loves to paint in rain storm or sunshine.
Recently he decided to dedicate more time to art and going to sea less often. He set up the Alfred Memelink Artspace Gallery (alfred@memelink.co.nz), a new, purpose-built gallery on the northern end of the Wellington foreshore. This has steadily grown in popularity offering a very diverse and ever-changing collection of art in all mediums.
Alfred also has another creative outlet, the saxophone. He prefers to play by ear and particularly enjoys jazz, as it allows you room to be a little more creative and expressive, just like painting with music.
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Pitcairn Island 2019 NZ$1.00/#.00 sg?, scott?