Mark Adams

Cormorants on the Wind/Cape Cod Bay

Artwork: 43 1/4” x 34 1/8” Framed: 47 3/8” x 38 1/4”

Watercolor and gouache on vintage maritime chart.

Each of us is on a journey — some are journeys of choice and pleasure, and some are journeys of necessity. It is that premise which Mark Adams wanted to explore in his latest piece — Cormorants on the Wind/Cape Cod Bay.

“I got this idea in my head thinking about the journeys people took to get here,” Mark explains. “And using the aerial perspective, as a cartographer, it allows you to see the forces that move us. It enhances the idea that we’re all going somewhere and we’re not always in total control of the forces that drive us there.”

Adding depth and texture to the message the painting conveys is this interesting nugget – it’s on a vintage nautical chart of Cape Cod Bay from the working collection of one of the world’s preeminent right whale biologists, Charles “Stormy” Mayo, the co-founder of the Center for Coastal Studies.

“My point of view is that art has to be for something,” he said in April when the Arts Foundation not only unveiled the painting, but celebrated Mark as our 2023 Artist of the Year. He is only the second Cape Codder to receive the distinction which recognizes an artist whose work shapes thought, inspires change, and creates a deeper sense of connection in the community. Mark’s work reminds us of our shared responsibility in protecting the natural environment. For all of us, that responsibility is a continuous journey. And the new owner of Cormorants on the Wind/Cape Cod Bay will be reminded of that – and hopefully be inspired to make a meaningful difference in their own way.

“I love painting and drawing and making art,” Mark says. “So when someone decides to be the custodian of one of my pieces, it is the ultimate for me.”