people flock to the seashore for leisure than for employment. Although the maritime industry has declined in recent decades, it remains an important part of Massachusetts' economy, and more importantly, its character.

The sea continues to inspire skilled traditional artists who make both functional and commemorative objects. Here you will meet a handful of artists who still make their livelihood building wooden boats and marine hardware. Others create objects evoking the golden era of tall ships, or the whaling and fishing industries. Some artists revitalize maritime crafts once practiced by sailors, while other artists create highly personal work, memorializing those who lost their lives at sea.

The artists represented here have chosen different media, but all express their closeness to and reverence for the sea. They also remind us how the natural environment shapes culture and art.