From the Artist:
"This painting spawns from an initial series of 12 works which I created in 1997 upon learning that contact was lost with my friend's sailboat, in the far Southern Ocean, while competing in the ultimate, Vendee Globe Challenge, the Mt. Everest of single-handed races.
My friend was the late professional racing sailor Gerry Roufs, who hailed from Canada, and was known as one of the best catamaran helmsman in the world. He was integral in setting a North Atlantic world speed record in 1988 when he sailed from New York Harbor's Ambrose Light to Land's End, England aboard the fully crewed Jet Services V, which was based, on 'weather stand-by', at North Cove Marina, at the foot of the Twin Towers.
In the mid '90s Roufs had finally secured his own sponsorship to build a 60 ft. monohull to compete in the of the 1996-97 Vendee Globe Challenge, one of the most difficult solo races, non-stop, alone, around the world! I was so happy for him, realizing such a long held dream of his own boat & qualifying for this, the most demanding of solo races, come true.
Back on the East End of Long Isand, weeks later, while I was stretching several large canvases, I received a fax from famed French photographer Christian Fevrier with the news that contact was lost with Gerry, MIA. Heavy weather had taken a very serious toll on many of the competitors in the far Southern Ocean. Rescues were underway for the distressed sailors boats, from other other competitors close by, or various military teams. From my gut, I immediately created a series of paintings on those freshly stretched large canvases, in prayer, depicting different times of day and night that the seas should be calm and the winds fair, in order to aid the search and hopeful rescue. Sadly, they never found him, only his upside down dismasted boat, that appeared floating on the heavy sea 5 months later, off the Chilean coast.
This theme of positive imagery, in hopeful, 'Prayer For The Solo Sailor', has recurred in my work over the years since, and has also been requested in commissions."