Author: Mystic Seaport Museum

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“International Observe the Moon Night” is October 16, 2021!

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date October 13, 2021

Image Credit: NASA

Image Credit: NASAThis weekend, astronomy enthusiasts around the world will look to the night sky and celebrate the Earth’s natural satellite. “International Observe the Moon Night” occurs every year in late September or early October, planned to happen just after a First Quarter Moon, when the Moon is in a waxing gibbous phase. During this time, features on the moon’s surface can be more easily seen along the terminator – the dividing line marking the edge of day and night on the Moon. In the image below, you may notice that craters and ridges on the Moon are much more noticeable along the terminator line. This is especially true when viewing the Moon through a telescope or a pair of binoculars.

observe the moon night — This image shows the very same moon phase that you can expect to see this weekend! Image credit: Popular Mechanics

Cultures all around the world have their own special connections to the Moon. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped Khonsu, the god of the Moon. His name means “traveler” as a reference to the daily and nightly journeys that the Moon will appear to make across the sky. In Egypt, as in many ancient societies, observations of the Moon led to early methods of keeping and tracking the passage of time.

In Norse mythology, Sol and Mani are a sibling pair who represent the Sun and Moon. While Sol carries the Sun across the sky on her chariot, her brother Mani carries the Moon. Wolves called Skoll and Hati are chasing the Sun and Moon across the sky, and if they were to catch one of these objects, they could cause the mysterious event that we now call eclipses of the Sun and Moon!

Out in the Pacific Ocean, the people of Polynesia call the Moon the “Chief Star of the Night.” Here, monthly activities are sometimes influenced by the phase of the moon. For example, a bright full moon might enable the planting of crops at night. Then, as the moon’s changing phase causes tides to recede, crabs and small fish could be harvested from the tidal pools left behind.

These are just a few examples of how people around the world connect with our Moon. This international celebration is a great time to explore the ways that our families and our communities share the same sky, while each bringing our own unique perspectives. We encourage you to connect with family members, friends, and neighbors to share stories, and to forge your own special connections with the world around us. And although the weather forecast for this coming Saturday calls for clouds in New England, fear not! The days leading up to and immediately following “International Observe the Moon Night” will still provide great opportunities to take a look at our closest neighbor in space. Enjoy the view!

Written By Brian Koehler, Planetarium Supervisor

Tags mystic seaport museum, nasa, night sky, observe the moon night, planetarium

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RIVERFEST IS THE PLACE TO BE OCT. 9-11!

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date October 13, 2021

Mystic Seaport Museum hosting a weekend of music, inspired by the sea

Mystic, Conn., SEPT. 29, 2021 –Mystic Seaport’s Riverfest celebration is the place to be October 9-11 for a fun-filled weekend of music on the water. You won’t want to miss the pub sing and three days of folk and sea music performed across two stages. The music, inspired by the sea, will be infused with culture. There will also be ample opportunities to get out on the water, whether on a rowboat, sailboat or a captained boat ride.

“We continue to support and promote traditional and modern sea music from across the globe and to present it to as many visitors as possible. It may not be in the same format as people remember it, but welcome to the first Riverfest and welcome to the new Mystic Seaport Museum,” said Peter Armstrong, the New Museum President.

The musical line-up starts Saturday at 10 a.m. with Geoffrey Kaufman, David Littlefield, and Joseph Morneault. Also on Saturday is the Ancient Mariners Chanteymen, a sub-group of the Ancient Mariners Fife and Drum Corps, and The Johnson Girls, an all-female a-cappella song group based in New York City who perform music from a mélange of cultures, including the U.S., Britain, Ireland, Italy, French-Canada, and the Caribbean. Stick around for a traditional pub-sing of sea chanteys from 4-6 p.m. Schaefer’s Spouter Tavern on the Museum grounds will be open for purchase of drinks.

Sunday brings Cape Verdean musicians Ne Nas and Roy Tabwa to the stage, as well as Celtic-American roots music super group RUNA.

On Monday, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, there will be indigenous music and dance. Other acts include Sharks Come Cruisin’, which plays a mix of sea chanteys and maritime music. Audience participation and celebration is at the center of their music and live performances.

That is only a sampling of the performers. For a detailed line-up, head on over to this link devoted to Riverfest: https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/riverfest/.

And that’s not all! There will be food trucks, fall-themed crafts, rides on an antique Model A truck, and chowder demonstrations daily. Short Rib Cafe; Captain Scott’s Lobster; Jumping Cow Ice Cream; and Suya Joint are the food trucks that will be serving up treats.

The events fall within Museum hours between 10-6 and are included with Museum admission. More on that pricing here, https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/visit/hours-tickets

We can’t wait to see you there!

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ABOUT MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM:

Mystic Seaport Museum is the nation’s leading maritime museum. Founded in 1929 to gather and preserve the rapidly disappearing artifacts of America’s seafaring past, the Museum has grown to become a national center for research and education with the mission to “inspire an enduring connection to the American maritime experience.”

The Mystic Seaport Museum grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, CT, and includes a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship still in existence. At Mystic Seaport Museum, we strive to create an environment where visitors not only learn from us, but we learn from them. The concept is called Public History and it allows our visitors to experience history in ways they haven’t before.

Tags live music, music festival, outdoor concerts, riverfest

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Terry Hutchinson Receives America and the Sea Award

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date September 27, 2021

190330_ROSS_PENSACOLA_0148.CR2 - AM38 training in Pensacola Bay, Pensacola, Florida.

Mystic, Conn., September 27, 2021 – Mystic Seaport Museum honored world champion sailor Terry Hutchinson with its 2021 America and the Sea Award. The prestigious award recognizes those individuals and organizations whose extraordinary achievements best exemplify the American character in the scholarship, exploration, adventure, aesthetics, competition, and freedom that the sea inspires. The award was presented at a gala fundraiser at the Metropolitan Club in New York City on September 14.

Hutchinson exemplifies the very pinnacle of competitive sailing through the remarkable leadership, integrity, courage, and humility he has demonstrated throughout his career in both victory and defeat. Mystic Seaport Museum President Peter Armstrong remarked, “His example in competitive sailing is an inspiration to younger generations to join the sport and represent themselves and their teams with dignity.”

Hutchinson’s notable accomplishments in sailing began in college at Old Dominion University, where he developed a reputation as an outstanding sailor and teammate, helping lead his team to four national championships. He went on to celebrate wins in the Key West Race Week, Congressional Cup, National Championship, North American Championship, and sixteen World Championships. With five America’s Cup campaigns under his belt and a sixth in the wings, in true Hutchinson spirit, he continues his quest for the Cup.

Past recipients of the America and the Sea Award include Hall of Fame sailor and President of North Technology Group, Thomas A. Whidden; American businesswoman and philanthropist Wendy Schmidt; groundbreaking America’s Cup sailor Dawn Riley, philanthropist and environmentalist David Rockefeller, Jr.; boat designers Rod and Bob Johnstone and their company J/Boats; author and historian Nathaniel Philbrick; maritime industrialist Charles A. Robertson; Hall of Fame sailor and author Gary Jobson; WoodenBoat Publications founder Jon Wilson; former Secretary of the Navy John Lehman; oceanographer and explorer Sylvia Earle; America’s Cup sailor William Koch; President and CEO of Crowley Maritime Corporation, Thomas Crowley; historian David McCullough; and legendary yacht designer Olin J. Stephens, II.

ABOUT MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM:

Tags America and the Sea Award Gala, mystic seaport museum

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Remarkable Silver Objects and Wood Carvings Inspired by The Sea on Display Mystic Seaport Museum’s ‘Sea as Muse’ Exhibit Features 115 Unique Objects

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date September 23, 2021

Mystic Seaport Museum’s ‘Sea as Muse’ Exhibit Features 115 Unique Objects

Mystic, Conn., SEPT. 23, 2021 – Dolphins and mermaids. Seaweed and sea urchins. Fast ships and ocean waves. Mystic Seaport Museum visitors to the Sea as Muse exhibit will find delightful details like these, inspired by sea life and life on the sea.

The Sea as Muse exhibit, funded by a generous grant from the Henry Luce foundation, opened in September and will run until summer 2022. On display are 115 remarkable objects, made by silversmiths and wood carvers that were inspired by the sea.

The exhibit showcases more than 50 silver trophies, many locally made in Meriden, CT or Providence, RI. Both places were home to some of the largest silver manufacturing companies in the country in the 1800s.

“In the late 19^th Century, silversmiths and wood carvers often drew inspiration from the sea, and we are lucky to be able to showcase more than 100 of these pieces,” said Peter Armstrong, the Museum President.

Many of the trophies were awards for yachting and sailing competitions and while previous exhibits focused on the yacht themselves and their often-famous owners, this exhibit offers a fresh perspective, focusing on the fine art and intricate design of the treasures themselves. The incredible detail on the trophies depicts dolphins, sea horses, mermaids, anchors, as well as seashells sculpted by hand.

One of the elegant trophies has a unique background in that it was a very expensive insult! In big regattas during the late 1800s, it was common to give the owners of losing yachts a presentation piece as recognition of their participation. However, the Livonia trophy was awarded by anonymous Americans in London who clearly intended to mock the Livonia’s owner.

It commemorates the results of a yachting challenge to the New York Yacht Club by James Ashbury of England, who was determined to win the America’s Cup for the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. In a series of 5 races in October 1871, Ashbury’s Livonia competed against 2 American yachts, winning just 1 race against the Columbia. Ashbury contested the result but after an investigation, the New York Yacht Club affirmed its original decision. This trophy was not awarded by the New York Yacht Club however, as the engraving tells us that it was commissioned and presented to Ashbury by “Americans in London” as acknowledgment of Ashbury’s single win. The fact that it only mentions 1 win out of 5 and that both Ashbury’s name and the name of his yacht were misspelled all point towards this trophy being one very expensive insult. The figures on top of the cup further suggest this, as the standing figure is Columbia, representing the United States, and the figure that kneels before her is Britannia, representing Great Britain. These two figures were depicted frequently in art and political cartoons that aimed to show that both nations were equally great, however on this trophy, Britannia shows subservience to Columbia—a subtle but clear suggestion of Britain’s—and Ashbury’s—inferiority.

Unsurprisingly, Ashbury refused the cup and it was returned to the unknown Americans who gave it to him.

One piece called “the Palladium Trophy,” was named after The Daily Palladium, a newspaper in New Haven. It was made in 1887 in Meriden, CT and donated by the publication. It sometimes is referred to as the “Neptune Trophy.”

The exhibit includes masterpieces from The Gorham Manufacturing Company and Tiffany, including three Astor Cups, named for John Jacob Astor IV, who donated a large sum of money to the New York Yacht Club to pay for two trophies a year that would bear his name.

While much of the exhibit showcases fine silver, there is an incredible wood carving portion, featuring items from the yacht Aloha II, which was owned by a wealthy American named Arthur Curtiss James. The carvings on display are from the yacht’s deck saloon and include a series of magnificently carved wood panels that illustrate excerpts from an ancient Norse epic poem.

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ABOUT MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM:

The Mystic Seaport Museum grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River in Mystic, CT, and includes a recreated New England coastal village, a working shipyard, formal exhibit halls, and state-of-the-art artifact storage facilities. The Museum is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship still in existence. At Mystic Seaport Museum, we strive to create an environment where visitors not only learn from us, but we learn from them. The concept is called Public History and it allows our visitors to experience history in ways they haven’t before.

Tags Museum Exhibit, mystic seaport museum, sea as muse

News

Fine Silver and Wood Carvings Inspired by the Sea

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date September 22, 2021

Sea as Muse, Now on Exhibit

For artists, inspiration can come from anywhere, but in the late 19^th century, wood carvers and silversmiths often drew it from the sea. In the fourth and final exhibit funded by a generous grant from the Henry Luce foundation, the Sea as Muse exhibit will display 115 beautiful objects inspired by the sea, including anything from sea life to sea creatures to the yachting and sailing life.

Sea as Muse opened on September 18^th and was curated by Katherine Hijar. The exhibit will showcase more than 40 silver trophies, many of which were locally made in either Meriden, Connecticut or Providence, Rhode Island. Both cities were home to some of the largest silver manufacturing companies in the country during that time.

A lot of the trophies were awards for yachting and sailing competitions, and while previous exhibits focused on the yachts themselves and their often-famous owners, this exhibit offers a fresh perspective, focusing on the fine art and intricate design of the treasures themselves, as well as the stories behind them.

One trophy in particular has quite the unusual backstory. In big regattas during the late 1800s, it was common to give the owners of losing yachts a presentation piece as recognition of their participation. However, the Livonia trophy, was awarded by anonymous Americans in London who clearly intended to mock the Livonia’s owner.

It commemorates the results of a yachting challenge to the New York Yacht Club by James Ashbury of England, who was determined to win the America’s Cup for the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. In a series of seven races in October 1871, Ashbury’s Livonia competed against two American yachts, winning just one race against the Columbia. Ashbury contested the result but after an investigation, the New York Yacht Club affirmed its original decision. This trophy was not awarded by the New York Yacht Club however, as the engraving tells us that it was commissioned and presented to Ashbury by “Americans in London” as acknowledgment of Ashbury’s single win. The fact that it only mentions one win out of five and that both Ashbury’s name and the name of his yacht were misspelled all point towards this trophy being one very expensive insult. The figures on top of the cup further suggest this, as the standing figure is Columbia, representing the United States, and the figure that kneels before her is Britannia, representing Great Britain. These two figures were depicted frequently in art and political cartoons that aimed to show that both nations were equally great, however on this trophy, Britannia shows subservience to Columbia—a subtle but clear suggestion of Britain’s—and Ashbury’s—inferiority.

Unsurprisingly, Ashbury refused the cup, and it was returned to the unknown Americans who gave it to him.

Another piece in the collection, the “Palladium Trophy” was named after The Daily Palladium, which was once a newspaper in New Haven, Connecticut. The piece was made by Rogers, Smith & Co. in 1887 in Meriden, Connecticut and was donated by the paper. It is widely recognized as the “Neptune Trophy” for the statue of the Roman god of freshwater and the sea that sits atop it.

The exhibit also includes a few masterpieces from The Gorham Manufacturing Company and Tiffany, including two Astor Cups, named for John Jacob Astor the IV, who donated a large sum of money to the New York Yacht Club to pay for two trophies a year that would bear his name.

While much of the exhibit showcases fine silver, there is also an incredible wood carving portion, featuring items from the yacht Aloha II, which was owned by wealthy American Arthur Curtiss James, a true yachtsman who loved everything about yachting and the sea, including the active yachting social life. The carvings on display are from his deck saloon and include a series of magnificently carved wood panels that illustrate excerpts from an ancient Norse epic poem, “The Volsunga Saga.”

An interesting discovery during Hijar’s research was the fact that many of the artists and designers during that time were immigrants. Scandinavian artist Karl von Rydingsvard is responsible for the woodwork on the Aloha II, including furniture such as hand carved chairs that will also be on display.

From dolphins to mermaids and seaweed to sea urchins, come enjoy this exhibit and gain a deeper appreciation of the sea and its beauty, while exploring the wonder of life on the sea.

Tags Exhibit, sea as muse, silver, wood carving

Press Releases

ANTIQUE CARS DESCENDING UPON MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM!

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date September 21, 2021

Mystic Seaport Museum hosting pre-1932 vehicle show at its maritime village

Mystic, Conn., SEPT. 21, 2021 – More than 100 pre-1932 vehicles are expected to be at Mystic Seaport Museum Saturday, Sept. 25 for the Museum’s 24^th Annual Antique Vehicle Show, By Land & By Sea. The Museum anticipates a delightful day of camaraderie and fun on the beautiful grounds of its maritime village.

By Land & By Sea is one of the many annual Museum events, and it’s a pleasure to present it for the public’s entertainment. Visitors will especially enjoy the afternoon Grand Parade around the Village Green and out through the Shipyard south gate.

“The Grand Parade of Vehicles is a vision to behold and is fun for all ages,” said Peter Armstrong, the Museum President.

Bring your camera and take advantage of a great opportunity to photograph motoring history. There will be conversation aplenty, lots of fun, and free rides for visitors.

The show is included as part of Museum admission and members, of course, get in free.

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ABOUT MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM:

Tags antique car show, by land and sea, mystic seaport museum

News

Labor Day Weekend at the Museum!

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date September 1, 2021

Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at Mystic Seaport Museum with a Panorama Festival

The weather looks great for Labor Day weekend, and we are ready to celebrate the end of an amazing summer with our Panorama Festival, which runs from Saturday, September 4^th – Monday, September 6^th.

This adventure-packed event celebrates cultural diversity and will feature hands-on activities for kids and adults as well as food trucks, live music, dancing, crafts, demonstrations, and more. From the Azores to West Africa, and Brazil to Hawaii, visitors will experience different cultural activities and cuisine from around the world.

The festival is centered around a 1275-foot-long painting, A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World, which details the fascinating voyage of a typical mid-19th century New Bedford whaleship on its journey ‘round the world’ in pursuit of whales. Along the way, it depicts scenes (some from the artists’ experiences, some historic, and some imagined) in such far-flung places as the Azores, Cape Verde, Brazil, Tahiti, and Hawaii. People, places, vessels, wildlife, and events spring to life as they were seen from a 19th-century perspective. The painting is being shown in sections in an exhibition at the Museum, which runs through March 2022.

Among the highlights of this event is an authentic Hula Demonstration by the Kaiholunuie Polynesian Dance Company (KPDC). Their performance company consists of a thriving multicultural group who come together as extended ohana (family), to teach the art of, and deeper meanings of the hula, as well as other forms of Polynesian dance. Their performance will be on Saturday from 3 – 3:45 p.m. and includes audience participation.

For the sea-chantey-loving crowd, the cast of the hit Off-Broadway musical comedy The Imbible: Rum and Pirates will perform a selection of sea chanteys and nautical songs on Monday from 2:30 -3 p.m. to provide a unique a cappella soundtrack to The Grand Panorama voyage.

Those who enjoy food trucks and authentic cuisine from around the world will be happy to feast on eats from Merengue & Reds (Dominican), Suya (Nigerian), Captain Scott’s (local seafood), Go Truck Yourself (Peruvian), and Hometown Poke (Hawaiian).

The Mystic Seaport Museum is happy to present this event and all its accompanying activities as part of the Museum admission, with no extra cost. It will also be the last weekend to take advantage of Connecticut’s Summer at the Museum program, where all Connecticut children and one accompanying adult are admitted free of charge. Hope to see you there!

Tags ct kids free, cultural events, family events, food trucks, labor day weekend, live music, panorama festival, the grand panorama, weekend, whaling voyage

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Last Chance for CT Kids to Visit Mystic Seaport Museum For Free On Labor Day!

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date August 27, 2021

CT Kids Free all Weekend!

Mystic Seaport Museum hosting special “End of Summer” celebration during last free weekend

Mystic, Conn., AUG. 27, 2021 – On the last free weekend at Mystic Seaport Museum, the museum staff wants to thank the public by making the weekend extra special! There will be fun-filled festivities celebrating The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World exhibit, including a Hula demonstration by a Polynesian Dance Company, Cape Verdean Music and Dance, and Sea Music. The exhibit will last through March, but this is the last chance to see it for free.

The Grand Panorama is a 1,275-foot-long painting shown in sections at the museum. Painted in 1848, it depicts in fascinating detail the voyage of a whaleship on its journey around the globe.

On top of all this, there will be a full weekend of special programs and hands-on activities for kids and adults, celebrating the cultures, food, music, and journeys, from the Azores to West Africa, and Brazil to Hawaii, of The Grand Panorama. This is one event you won’t want to miss!

“At this end-of-summer event, we want to thank everyone who visited us this summer. We had a tremendous amount of visitors during the Free Museum Program, and we want to thank everyone for coming by putting on this special event for you,” said Peter Armstrong, the Museum President and CEO.

“Also, it will be the last chance to see the stunning Charles W. Morgan whaling ship out of the water. When the Morgan is out of the water it can be observed in its full magnificence.”

The Morgan, the last wooden whale ship in the world, will go back in the water shortly after Labor Day.

The Museum was able to offer free admission to visitors through Connecticut’s Summer at the Museum program. Even though the funding for that has already been used up, the Museum decided to continue to offer free passes so the public could benefit from its offerings.

Some highlights of the Labor Day festival include:

A flavorful trip around the world with Brazilian, Nigerian, & Peruvian food trucks from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.
Musical Performances.
Hear amazing stories from a panel of sailors who circumnavigated the world.
Dive deeper into the subject matter with a Panorama lecture.
See the stars of the Panorama in our Planetarium.
Brush up on your nautical fiction with our theatrical production, “Moby-Dick in Minutes.”
Younger visitors can enjoy crafts in our Home Port activity center.
Go on a Panorama scavenger hunt.
Check out wood-carving demonstrations by guest artists.
Get creative with your own chalk panorama.

All events and activities are included in Museum admission. Connecticut children and one accompanying adult are Free with Connecticut’s Summer at the Museum program all weekend.

ABOUT MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM:

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Tags ct kids free, labor day weekend, mystic seaport museum, panorama festival

News

The Joy of Painting

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date August 23, 2021

Waking up in a hospital after a 3-day coma from a drug overdose was the low-point in artist Joyful Enriquez’s life. But she strongly believes that a divine intervention saved her life and brought her to the many high points she’s experienced since then, among them getting clean, graduating from art school, and becoming a full-time and well-respected marine wildlife artist.

Joyful Enriquez is the current Artist-in-Residence at Mystic Seaport Museum, where she lives aboard the sailboat Noel and spends her days painting marine life works of art in a studio at the Burrows House within the Seaport Village. She was named the second Artist-in-Resident of 2021, following Patrick O’Brien earlier this summer. The Center for Marine Art sponsors this program, which seeks to engage a younger generation. As a charismatic and open young artist, Enriquez was recommended for the program, where she encourages creativity among youth daily, showing them that art is a feasible career path.

“I’m able to actually show them that classic marine artwork is not dead and that yes, people can still make a living from painting,” Enriquez said.

Whether it’s giving them a painting kit or providing them with plenty of honest and thoughtful insight on the profession, her ability to connect with people is evident from the moment you meet her.

Enriquez’s fascination with the water and its inhabitants began at a young age, when she went bass fishing with her grandfather. She remembers a feeling of peacefulness as she watched them swimming beneath the lily pads and wondered what it must be like to see the world from their perspective. Growing up in Michigan, she wasn’t around the water much, but that didn’t stop her passion for it. She recalls having frequent dreams as a child swimming amongst the whales and breathing underwater. When a neighborhood friend received a “How to Draw Animals” book for Christmas one year, Enriquez claimed it as her own when her friend deemed it “boring,” and she began practicing her animal sketches daily.

When it came time for college, Enriquez did not initially pursue art, as her family and others steered her toward a “more stable” career. But pent-up resentment got the best of her, and she ultimately dropped out of school. When she was just 22, a friend was awoken in the middle of the night from a dream with a strong calling to go check on Enriquez, whom she found unresponsive. The first responders who saved her life said that if it had been 15 minutes later, she would not have survived. Enriquez adamantly believes that God intervened that day, giving her a second chance at life, and a second chance at pursuing her dreams. This time, Enriquez followed her heart, which brought her to Florida to live by the water and attend art school.

Being in the water was just the healing Enriquez needed.

“For me, it washes away my troubles. It’s one of the few places you’re perfectly present, and not distracted by all the things,” she said.

Enriquez earned both her undergraduate and master’s degrees, got Scuba-certified, and took underwater photography lessons, all with the goal of using her artwork to share the energy and excitement of the underwater environment with others.

“As a kid you start out with a natural wonder of the world, you’re not thinking about bills, life is simple and exciting and fun, but then you grow up and go through trauma and hard experiences, and it starts to diminish or taint that natural wonder,” she said. “When I’m in the water I feel like that sense of wonder is reawakened.”

As someone who got a second chance at life, she hopes to help reawaken that wonder for people and give them an escape from everyday life.

For years she worked multiple jobs while hustling to sell her art and make it her full-time gig. She says of her success, there was no “big break” but rather a gradual growing of her collector base and establishing relationships over time, since art is so personal.

Fast forward to today, where Enriquez has an impressive resume of accomplishments and accolades, including membership in highly competitive art organizations such as The American Society of Marine Artists, Oil Painters of America, and The Society of Animal Artists.

As Enriquez approaches 40, she’ll be checking at least one more item off her bucket list. Coming full circle with her childhood dreams, Enriquez was recently chosen to receive the prestigious Stobart Foundation grant which offers emerging young artists financial assistance to further establish themselves professionally by working directly with their subjects, in Enriquez’s case, this means swimming with humpback whales off the coast of Tonga, an island north of New Zealand.

Joyful Enriquez will be at Mystic Seaport Museum through Saturday September 4th. Stop by and see her at the Burrows House Wednesdays – Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and follow her on Instagram at @joyfulfineart to see updates from her residency.

News

Two Weeks Left for CT Kids Free Program

Post author By Mystic Seaport Museum
Post date August 23, 2021

CT Kids Free all Weekend!

If you haven’t made your way over to Mystic Seaport Museum this summer, there are a couple more weeks to take advantage of free admission. Connecticut children ages 18 and under – plus one accompanying adult – can visit Mystic Seaport Museum for free through September 6. The program, which was announced earlier this summer by Gov. Ned Lamont, is part of an effort to provide students and families with educational and enrichment experiences using COVID-19 recovery funds.

“After a traumatic year where children were cooped up in front of a computer screen, we are pleased to offer an outdoors learning experience, where they can be outside, go for a boat ride, and learn new things — but most important, get out in the fresh air and have fun with their family,” said Museum President Peter Armstrong.

Eligibility for the program requires children and adults to be Connecticut residents. Participants are encouraged to complete a brief form on the Museum’s website to order free admission tickets in advance of visiting. Mystic Seaport Museum does not limit the number of free visits families may enjoy during the program. Everyone who qualifies for free admission may attend any day of their choosing.

You will find no shortage of fun and exhibits when you visit the Museum. Included in admission is A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World. The Panorama is the longest painting in North America, owned and conserved by the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The painting is more than 1250 feet long and recreates the experience of a whaling voyage of the 1840s. The painting depicts the voyage of a typical mid-19th century New Bedford whaleship on its journey ‘round the world’ in pursuit of whales. The details are stunning and mesmerizing and depict scenes in Azores, Cape Verde, Brazil, Tahiti, and Hawaii.

To purchase your free admission tickets, visit https://mysticseaport.wpengine.com/visit/ct-kids-free-admission/.

No matter your age, you’ll want to visit the Mystic Seaport Museum, but if you qualify – be sure to take advantage of Connecticut Kids Free Admission.

Tags ct kids free, mystic seaport museum

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