Place of remembrance

'A time before 9/11"

A 4 foot Acrylic painting which the Artist hopes to use for the basis
of an 18 foot Tile Mural.

This past Sunday, the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, seemed to put to rest an unease which has pervaded our country. The ceremonies were understated in a very, very dignified way which echoed the marvelously thoughtful placement of the endless pools where the Trade Centers once stood. The beautiful bronzes engraved along the top edge of the cascading falls and the trees lining and giving protection from the harsh stone and steel city.

A firm named Snohetta, which means Snow Hood, in Norwegian created the only above ground building on the 8 acre memorial site. I invite you read my recent article about these Architects and 9/11 in the September 9, 2011 issue of the Norwegian American Weekly.

Best regards, Bill Osmundsen

for further reading on my mural project:- "A time before 9/11"

ON OPEN WATERS

“The Voyage of the Fox,” sculpture depicted here is the work of the article’s author, Bill Osmundsen. The prototype was created as a model for a bronze monument to be placed in New York and Norway. Further information about this project can be obtained by visiting the artist’s website: http://BronzeSea.org/FoxSculpture.aspx, or by contacting Project Coordinator, Victor Samuelsen at fantslake@aol.com or (203) 561-0005. Photo courtesy of Bill Osmundsen.

NORWEGIAN AMERICAN WEEKLY

On open waters: The Norwegian-American voyage of the FOX made the impossible a reality.

This year marks the 115th anniversary of the voyage of the FOX, the first transatlantic crossing by oar, in an open 18-foot rowboat named FOX. The nearly impossible feat was accomplished by two young Norwegian-American seamen who left New York June 6, 1896, and arrived in Le Havre, France on Aug. 7, 1896.

By Bill Osmundsen
Norwegian American Weekly

Around the time that Nansen was lauded for his polar achievement, two other Norwegians by birth – George Harbo and Frank Samuelsen – rowed more than 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in an 18-foot surfboat called FOX. They didn’t discover anything, but they did prove that through endurance and careful planning, two men in an open boat could actually achieve what was in 1896 believed impossible. If we look at their modest effort, compared to the mounting of the great expeditions of the Fram – Nansen, north and Amundsen south, they also exhibited great courage and fortitude and should join the ranks of explorers who have pushed the human limits. Harbo and Samuelsen were the first to successfully cross the Atlantic in an open rowboat.

READ THE REST OF THIS STORY at norway.com

Visit our Web Site:-BronzeSea.org

Happy July 4th

Frank Samuelsen, bow; George Harbo, stern; FOX, rowboat
Painting by Bart Forbes for Nautical Quarterly


Saturday July 4th
The night has been a stormy one. Wind shifting from south to N.N.W. and rained biggest part of the night.
8 a.m. Wind north, strong breeze and clear weather.
12 noon. Wind north, strong breeze. Course E.S.E. Day’s work 55 miles.
6 p.m. Wind N.E. light
This day we celebrated by washing our-selves in soap fresh water.
The first day our faces have seen good fresh water since leaving New York.

On July 4th, 1896, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, two Norwegian-American seamen celebrated our Nations Birthday, by having a fresh water bath. It may not sound like much, no beer or hot dogs but for George Harbo, who wrote in the Log above and Frank Samuelsen, his rowing mate, it was the first time they took a break from their arduous trek across the Atlantic Ocean.

Harbo and Samuelsen were both new emigres from Norway to the United States but took care to carry the American Flag and make a point of taking a little time off on July 4th, for the bath.

George Harbo, the captain and navigator, of this first transatlantic crossing by rowboat, was particularly patriotic and had viewed the unveiling of the Statue of Liberty, from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, on July 4th, in 1886, with his wife and their son Andrew, who he named after one of his hero's, an earlier American President, Andrew Jackson.

The marvelous illustration, at the head of this missive, was created by artist, Bart Forbes for Nautical Quarterly. The hardcover quarterly maritime magazine ran an article about the Fox, Harbo and Samuelsen, who rowed the 18 foot open boat successfully across the Atlantic, in a record (not to be broken for 114 years) time of 55 days. You can find Mr. Forbes' work and the article in NQ issue #4, published in 1978.

If you would like to view more of Bart Forbes' artworks and learn more about the artist, visit his web site:-
http://www.bartforbesgallery.com/

Enjoy your July 4th!

Cordially, Bill Osmundsen

FOX: June 6th, 1896 Departed on legendary row across the Atlantic - 115th Anniversary

News Release

Contacts: (download this news release)

Victor Samuelsen, Fantslake@aol.com

William Barth Osmundsen, billosmundsen@aol.com

Subject: Voyage of the Fox, 115 years ago

This year, June 6th, 2011, marks the 115th anniversary of the departure from New York, which began the 2 Month saga known as the Voyage of the FOX.

It was the first transatlantic crossing, by oar in an open 18 foot rowboat named FOX. The crossing was completed in the record time of 55 days, a record that wasn't broken until last year but only then by 4 men in a modern covered rowing craft..

In 1896 two extraordinary Norwegian-Americans ventured out on to the vast Atlantic Ocean in a 'surfboat'. They weren't escaping from a sinking ship or dory men from a Gloucester Schooner but had taken up the days challenge for a transoceanic crossing by oar. They did not carry any sail or powered propulsion of any kind other than two sets of strong arms and three sets of oars.

George Harbo was from Sandefjord, Norway, age 32 and

Frank Samuelsen, from Farsund, Norway age 26.

Both men despite their young ages had plenty of experience at sea. George had been trained as a Pilot and Navigator and had been in the Merchant Marine. Frank had spent 6 years in the Merchant Marine and was promoted quickly up the chain of command to boson’s mate.

After years at sea, the men met in the New York area, George settling in Brooklyn and Frank on the New Jersey shore after Clamming for a time, they took up the challenge, for a $10,000. purse to row the Atlantic.

Learn more…

Web Site:

Bronzesea.org

See pages referencing

The Voyage of the Fox

LINKS

FOX SCULPTURE

NewYorkTimesonFox

Police Gazette on FOX

RipleyBelieveItorNot

MEMORIAL DAY E-Bay AUCTION- SALE, Prints & Original Work

"On Milton Pond" original gouache (c) Wm Barth Osmundsen

For Memorial Day Weekend til June 2-3rd, I have an Auction type Sale on
4 Giclee Prints and 2 Original Gouache Paintings:-

See them on e-Bay
click here


Original Gouache Paintings,

• (1) "On Milton Pond" Item # 330568762947
• (2) "Winter at Washington Sq." Item # 330568795852

Signed Limited Edition Giclee Prints

• (1) "Reflections" Item # 330568292848
• (2) "Reflections Too" Item #330568564999
• (3) "Swan" Item # 330568613291
• (4) "Surf Fisherman" Item #3305680260

Enjoy this splendid Memorial Day weekend,

If I can be of further information regarding these Artworks please e-mail me at:-

BILLOSMUNDSEN@aol.com
or visit my web site at: http://BronzeSea.org

Thanks for your interest, Bill Osmundsen

Stavanger Symphony - 'How do you get to Carnegie Hall?'

Stavanger Symphony prepares to play
at
The Norwegian Seamens Church
317 East 52nd St.
NYC

Arne Almroth - Artistic Director
discusses the state of the 'Arts'
at the Seamens Church Library

If you are in or around Manhattan on Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011,
you have got to get out to see and hear the magnificent
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall;
performing on the Perelman Stage at the Stern Auditorium, at 8PM.

E-Mail me for a discount code if you plan on attending. BILLOSMUNDSEN@aol.com

The Stavanger Symphony brought about half of their full 80 person orchestra to the Norwegian Seamens Church, located on 52nd St. between 1st and 2nd Avenue, NY, this Saturday for a musical appetizer of sorts. The mini concert, which lasted about one hour was led by their gifted Conductor and Violin Soloist, Fabio Biondi and was a taste of what we can expect on Wednesday night, at Carnegie Hall. Like a good appetizer we really can't wait for the 'full course'.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Artistic Director, Arne Almroth and chatting about the orchestra. Soon our discussion led to the 'state of the Arts' in Stavanger, Norway and the US.
I mentioned New York's classical radio station WQXR which with WNEW combined had to go into public broadcasting. WQXR could no-longer pay their own way as a commercial classic radio station and WNEW, which is mostly news and talk, these days, may have NPR's (National Public Radio) , which is it's news division cut from it's government subsidy. This with the cutting of Art and Music programs from public schools paints a bleak cultural picture here in the United States.

Arne explained Stavanger like Houston, Texas is an oil town;- has gained great wealth and is fast growing. But part of the strategic planning for the infrastructure of Stavanger is to expand in all areas, of which, the 'Arts' are important, to the life blood of Stavanger, as an international city.
Since 2008, Stavanger has been working towards the opening, in September of 2012, of a multi-million dollar Concert Hall. http://www.regionstavanger.com/en/Product/?TLp=412757

"We actually feel quite humbled to come and play at Carnegie Hall," Arne reflected, "We have played throughout Europe but this will be our first engagement in the United States."

Did Arne know how to get to Carnegie Hall?
"We are staying in a Hotel on the next block but...
Oh! yes, we have been practicing, practicing, practicing."

Don't miss Wednesdays concert.

Bill Osmundsen
Greenwich Village
NY

new Limited Edition prints by Bill Osmundsen

About Giclee Prints, Print History and these images

For the last ten years I have been working again in paint. During the previous 30 years I spent the better part of my Art Career as a Sculptor and building an Art Foundry. My early childhood training was in oils; the fundamentals of drawing and anatomy. I have always had a special interest in Maritime subjects and portraiture.

I have actively taught life drawing and portrait sculpture throughout my career. I have always been interested in introducing color to my sculptured bronzes in the form of polychrome patinas.
Print-wise I have produced a number of hand-cut serigraphs and I have a great respect for the process of various types of manual printing, such as etching and engravings as well as wood-cuts. These are all labor intensive and can be defined as their own art;- really they go far beyond the reproduction process of say a photo-lithograph, which is designed to faithfully reproduce a work of art without much deviation.

Recently, in the lexicon of art processes, comes the Giclee print. Which means to literally ‘spray’ the ink onto a page. Everyone who has printed with a computer is using that process. As the process has developed the images have become more and more vibrant and the overall print quality finer than or equal to the very best photo-lithograph.

The main difference for both the artist and consumer is lithographs are printed in bulk and Giclee’s can actually be printed one at a time. In both cases a high resolution photo of the artwork can be used for the original positive. With Giclee preparation process, artwork or photography, can be scanned to create a master file of the painting.

It might be interesting to note, in history, the print, in the form of the etching or stone lithograph was used to present a finished artwork, I.e. large painting, to a potential patron or purchaser of that art. This was introduced during the 12th and 13th century throughout cultured Europe.

Very often the Artist thought he had maybe a dozen potential sponsors for the Artwork and he would make a finished study of the Art to be created; -make a plate for an engraved print which could duplicate copies of the design to be sent on to as many clients who might purchase the Artwork, with a letter describing the project.

As time went on a great appreciation rose out of these prints and they were looked at as 'Art' in there own right. The 19th century artist, such as Toulouse-Latrec used the stone lithograph media to advertise Moulin Rouge and he would also number and sell the prints as did many of his contemporaries.

In the late 1800’s many very accurate etchings were hand colored for books and prints. By the mid 20th century the Off-Set press which with a 4-color photo-separation process and lightweight plates for printing really ramped up the possibility of large and consistent print runs. Enter the Giclee process about 10 or 15 years ago and now you have an even greater color and duplication control.

For me these images produced in print and on these pages are highly autobiographical. They follow friends I’ve met and places I have been to. In every case I knew the subject or individual;- lived near or around the location that I painted.

Bill Osmundsen
Greenwich Village,
NYC, NY

PS: To purchase or learn more about these prints:- Click here !