New 1715 Fleet Diorama

[PhipsFolly]

Hi all... Just thought I would put it out there... I just delivered my completed 1715 Fleet Shipwreck diorama project to the McLarty Treasure Museum in Sebastian. I had been commissioned by the museum to do this project and it took me 6 months to complete. It is a three dimensional shipwreck scene which I decided to name "Dragons Teeth" since that is what I heard the Spanish sometimes called the dangerous Florida Reefs.
Additionally, the artwork in the background is also an original drawing I did which I call "Last Hope" and it depicts two spanish sailors hanging on to rigging as the ship goes down. This diorama is dedicated to all those that lost their lives in this maritime disaster and as a complete project this Diorama is called "1715 Fleet - Tragedy & Treasure". It also contains copies of two pages of Spanish Archival documents with the names of the ships and names of persons lost on them... I hope that anyone visiting the Treasure Coast area will get to the museum and check it out.

Have a blessed and successful New Year! Phipsfolly

 

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[NHBandit]

No pics ? Most of us probably aren't planning a trip to Fla anytime soon.. Is part of your deal with them that you're not allowed to show pictures ? Just curious.

 

[Slingshot]

Thanks for the heads up! I'll be sure and stop by the museum next trip down the coast, sounds like a really cool exhibit. Cheers!!

 

[PhipsFolly]

Thanks Slingshot... Hope you like it and I hope that it does the museum and the story of the 1715 Fleet justice. I have had very positive feedback on it so far...

 

[PhipsFolly]

I actually need to confirm whether pictures are ok or not... I understand your point that not everyone will be able to make a trip to see it and can't see why photos would be an issue but I would have to check on that.

 

[PhipsFolly]

I took a few pics of the diorama on my cellphone but the pic quality is low and doesn't do the diorama any justice. I will try to get some better up close photos with a decent camera soon.

I put over 500 hours of work into this project. The violent seas are made of handshaped clay, then glazed and painted in five layers to get depth and colors. The models had to be built then wrecked and painted... I also added a lot of wreckage and details to the models like rigging, flags, etc. then I drew the charcoal pencil drawing for the backdrop which took about three hours to create. Lastly, the two pages (one on each side of the drawing in the backdrop are photos of several actual archival document pages containing lists of the ships and names of those that perished on them...

I created this diorama to draw attention to the other side of the 1715 Fleet disaster... the humanity of those involved as opposed to just the treasure aspect of the story. Whenever I'm out searching for treasure, I often think about the souls that were lost during this tragedy and this is my way of "paying respects" to those that perished.

Hope you all get to see it in person in the future... The details don't come through in the photos.

 

[PhipsFolly]

 

[PhipsFolly]

The last photo is just a close up of the raging seas so you could get an idea of the details of the frothing waters...

 

[diggummup]

Nice. You've got talent for sure. I haven't been up that way since my aunt died a few years ago. Visited the museum once.

 

[NHBandit]

Well done !

 

[cti4sw]

That.
Is.
Sick.

 

[PhipsFolly]

Thanks guys... I appreciate your comments...

I am now working on a diorama depicting a salvage operation (salvage boat with blowers down) and down below it will be a ballast pile with divers working on it... Should be cool... I am planning on modeling the salvage boat in my first salvage diorama after a famous salvage boat and am hoping that I get some requests by other treasure hunters to custom make dioramas based on their own salvage boats. We'll see what happens... Either way, I enjoy doing the art work almost as much as treasure hunting... Almost! 😊

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I'm sure it looks fantastic, the one you made for me is great....



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[Army of 1]

Nice work PF .. cheers Mick

 

[flsunshy9]

My husband and I will look forward to checking out your project when we have the opportunity this year! We love this museum!

 

[PhipsFolly]

Thanks Treasure_Hunter... So glad you are pleased with your diorama as well... Yours was definitely one of my favorite and best ones!

 

[PhipsFolly]

Thank you all for your positive and encouraging comments... an artist always hopes that others will appreciate their work and that the message one is trying to convey is realized by others who experience their creative endeavors.

Flsunshy9... Yeah, McLarty Treasure Museum is a wonderful place with so much shipwreck history in it and all around the Treasure Coast... Not to mention that the real treasures are the Park Service staff, volunteers, and the amazing friends I have been blessed to meet from all over the world there! They have welcomed me for many years and have allowed me to share both my treasure finds and my artwork with others... It is definitely worth another visit when you're in the area. I don't know how long it's been since your last visit, but I donated an antiqued Bernard Romans "treasure" map that has been referred to by so many treasure hunters on the 1715 Fleet and it is now hanging in a beautiful frame in the museum. I also loaned some 1715 Fleet artifacts and treasures from my personal collection to the museum and set up the two round floor displays containing these pieces for the museum... Check them out.

 

[TXPIRATE]

Very nice work. Hope to go to Fla. either 2015 or 2016.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Couple pics of diorama I bought from Phipsfolly..

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Very well done!