Galway Hooker Boat - Contemporary Sailboat Painting - Original Giclée Art Print

Welcome a fresh Irish sea breeze into your space with a Galway hooker boat painting by Catherine McKinnon. This semi abstract wall art, with its red and grey color palette, will lend a contemporary, modern style to your home and office decor.

Available in five traditional and contemporary print formats at ArtoftheSea.ca

• Giclee Fine Art Print
• Framed Giclee Fine Art Print
• Canvas Print
• Metal Print* 
• Acrylic Print*

*For Metal and Acrylic Prints, please email us to place a custom order.

Our mission is to produce the finest, most beautiful and lasting  modern nautical prints available today. For this reason, ur giclee prints are produced on acid-free fine art paper using only archival inks. Also, we offer a choice of not one, but SEVEN premium paper options:

• Archival Matte 
• Somerset Velvet
• Watercolor 
• Picture Rag (our recommendation for this print)
• Semi-matte Photo 
• Lustre Photo 
• Glossy Photo 

To clarify, here is a detailed description of our fine art papers:

ARCHIVAL MATTE 

Due to its lasting and flexible qualities, Archival Matte is an excellent choice for your coastal landscape. With its heavy-weight matte finish, it is made for high contrast and crisp reproduction of high-res images.

Also, as it is neutral white in color, it will suit all color palettes. Because it is acid-free for archival longevity, it is ideal for all fine art applications. 230 gsm / 9.5 mil

SOMERSET VELVET 

This radiant white paper offers vivid color reproduction and deep, rich blacks for amazing contrast. In addition, its texture softens the overall effect of the artwork and adds an extra hint of warmth. For these reasons, we recommend it for reproductions of contemporary oil paintings and pastels. This is a 100% cotton rag paper. 255 gsm / 19 mil

WATERCOLOR

Without question, we recommend watercolor paper for abstract watercolors. Due to its textured finish and weight, this fine art paper provides an authentic look and feel for watercolor reproductions. Also, this is a neutral-toned, acid-free paper made from 100% cotton rag. 300 gsm / 24 mil

PICTURE RAG

Picture Rag, the traditional gold standard for fine art paper, is popular for its ability to reproduce high contrast black and white imagery and hold incredibly vivid and true colors. Due to these qualities, we recommend it for your "Galway Hooker" sail boat painting. In addition, Cool Tone Picture Rag is an acid-free paper made from 100% cotton rag.  300 gsm / 24 mil

SEMI-MATTE PHOTO 

Semi-Matte gives an art print a subtle finish. Because of this quality, many artists and photographers love it. With minimum glare, it is optimal for strongly-lit home and office spaces where your beach house decor is displayed. 260 gsm / 10 mil

LUSTRE PHOTO 

Lustre Paper has a light sheen. Due to this finish, Lustre Photo makes seascapes and coastal art shine! 250 gsm / 10 mil

GLOSSY PHOTO  

Glossy Photo has an ultra-gloss finish. It is an excellent choice for reproductions of nautical oil paintings and ship portraits. Because of its glossiness, this fine art paper conveys the depth and vivid color of the original oil painting. 250 gsm / 10 mil

Art of the Sea in 6 Traditional & Contemporary Print Formats 

All art in our curated collection, including this seascape, is available in the following six print formats:

• giclee print
• framed giclee print
• canvas print
• metal print
• acrylic print
• wood print

About the Galway Hooker

The Galway hooker boat is a traditional sailing vessel that originated in the western region of Ireland known as Connemara. This boat has a unique design and has been an important part of Irish coastal culture for centuries. For this reason, artists often depict it in coastal artworks, serving as a symbol of Ireland's seafaring history and the beauty of its coastline.

It is a type of sailboat that was used primarily for fishing and transporting goods along the west coast of Ireland. Typically made from wood, its distinctive design features a plumb bow, a broad beam, and a single mast with a split jib and gaff-rigged mainsail. The boat's name comes from the Irish word "húicéir," which means "hooker" or "sailboat."

The Galway Fishing Boat

Historically, the Galway hooker was an essential part of life in the coastal communities of Connemara, and it played a significant role in the local economy. Fishermen used the boats to catch salmon, mackerel, and other fish, while merchants used them to transport goods such as turf, livestock, and building materials.

The boat was also used in races and regattas. These were popular events in many coastal towns and villages and continue to this day in Galway Bay.

The unique design of the Galway hooker boat has made it a popular subject in nautical art. As a result, you can find paintings and photographs of this boat in galleries and museums throughout Ireland.

Also, it is a symbol of Irish identity and heritage. Many artists try to portray the boat's elegant lines and graceful movement on the water, as well as its historical significance.

One of the most famous depictions of the Galway hooker in art is the marine painting "The Arrival of the Galway Hookers" by Jack B. Yeats. The work shows a group of boats sailing into a harbor, their sails billowing in the wind.

The scene is alive with color and motion, capturing the energy and excitement of a busy port. Yeats loved the sea and also had a keen interest in the traditional crafts and customs of rural Ireland.

About the Artist

Catherine McKinnon is a coastal artist from Nova Scotia, Canada. She has always been drawn to the ocean, wooden boats and the visual imagery of maritime life. Her coastal art depicts the majesty and beauty of the sea and the boats and ships that navigate its waters. 

McKinnon's passion for nautical painting led her to study fine arts at Rhode Island School of Design. During her time there, she continued to explore her fascination with the ocean in her drawings and paintings.

She developed her own unique style of nautical art which is semi abstract, yet representational. She is particularly drawn to the colors and textures of the sea. As a result, her art reflects this through the use of vibrant colors and bold brushstrokes.

In addition to her artistic endeavors, McKinnon is a wooden schooner owner, a sailor and a fiddler. Also a passionate advocate for ocean conservation, she is a "Wavemaker" with Oceana, an international organization dedicated to protecting and restoring the world’s oceans on a global scale.