Shipsong Gallery
Every vessel has its voice. Listen, can you hear the shipsong? It rides on the melody of wind and water.
Inspired by a life lived on the water, Captain Chris Sammartino’s artwork is reflective of centuries of traditional maritime craftsmanship. Making use of reclaimed and found materials, and leaning into the beauty of aged copper, each piece is one-of-a-kind and utterly unique.
As three-dimensional wall sculpture, many pieces feature 24-gauge copper panels with cut-out sections providing an exposed window to the wall behind. Mounted on custom-made ¾-inch mahogany frames, the relief from the wall allows the shadows to play across the “sails” in different ways over the course of a day. Each careful cut is made by hand, each copper face nail intentionally tacked into its place—resulting in each piece becoming a holistic work of art. Just as every part of a boat makes the vessel itself, every part of these pieces makes the artwork itself.
The pieces below are currently available. To purchase or arrange a showing, contact Chris.
CATBOAT REGATTA • 18 x 36.5 hand-cut aged copper panel, mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $4500
LUNAR ECLIPSE • 20.5 x 10.5 hand-cut copper sail detail mounted in relief on found weathered plywood panel from Nauset Beach. Edged with reclaimed oak lobster pot staving backed with mahogany plywood. • $3800
CATBOAT REFLECTION • 18 x 16 diptych, aged copper panels mounted on mahogany frames using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $4500
DOWNEAST • 16 x 33 vintage copper sheet, mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $4500
BIG BLUE • 18 x 36 aged 24-gauge copper sheet, mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $3500
HERRING FLEET • 3.5 x 22 hand-painted on weathered copper and mounted on Nauset Beach driftwood. • $650
HEAVY WATER • 18 x 36 hand-cut on aged copper panel, mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $5500
GAFFERS • 10.5 x 44.5 aged copper cut-outs mounted with copper boat tacks on driftwood plank. • $1900
BLUE SAIL • 20.5 x 13 found Nauset Beach weathered plywood with hand-cut copper sail detail in relief. Framed with reclaimed oak lobster pot staving and backed with recycled mahogany plywood. • $3200
GHOST SCHOONERS • 18.5 x 36 aged copper panel, cut-out hulls and "burnished" spars. Mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $4500
MOON RUNNER • 10 x 12 Nauset Beach weathered painted plywood panel featuring hand-cut sails mounted in relief. Framed with reclaimed oak lobster pot staving and backed with recycled mahogany plywood. • $2200
RAINBOW FLEET • 18 x 36 hand-cut aged copper sheet, backed with hand-painted recycled sail. Mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $6500
TANBARK SAILS • 8.5 x 38 aged copper cut-outs mounted with boat tacks to reclaimed curved mahogany panel. • $1900
PEAKS • hand-cut aged copper panel mounted on mahogany frame using face-nailed copper boat tacks. • $6500
SHADOW HERON • 18 x 14 aged and burnished copper design. Mounted with copper boat tacks to reclaimed cedar shake and capped with reclaimed oak lobster pot staving. • $1500
GREY LADY • 19.5 x 44 aged copper cut-outs mounted on reclaimed weathered 3/4" plywood panel. • $3500