Susan Tobey White's paintings in Lobstering Women vividly depict Maine women's participation in today's lobster fishing. The paintings tell the stories of what the women have to do every day to be successful in an industry dominated by men. Susan Tobey White's inspiration was watching a woman unloading lobster traps from a boat on to a snow-covered dock. Her first painting was of this hard-working young woman.The simple idea began: a series of paintings of women lobstering. Now, eighteen portraits later, we see what is needed for the work of lobstering: painting buoys, baiting traps, hauling the traps, sizing the lobsters and banding them. All the while maneuvering the powerful boat. Several generations of women and girls along the Coast of Maine are represented. These are hardworking women who juggle family, school, and other jobs, along with their joy of being out on the water. How long the lobster fishing industry will last is now an open question. Global warming, species protection, and a declining lobster population have put this time-honored work at risk. And it may be that the women lobsterfishers see this more clearly than their male counterparts.
About the Author: Susan Tobey White is a Maine artist whose work has always portrayed the theme of women.Her work has been on display in galleries and museums in Maine, Connecticut, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and is in private collections throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia.These narrative paintings show real women doing the work of lobstermen. Beside each painting is a brief story of each woman. A few of the women do the work of sternmen, working with their husbands. Most are captains of their own boats, fishing 600-800 traps. Some grew up in Maine in fishing communities. Several are now captains of their grandfathers' boats, taught by their fathers and grandfathers. Many were working on the boat at a very young age. Also included are young girls who hold student licenses.Susan decided to paint lobstering women when she saw a woman unloading traps from a boat onto a snow-covered dock. She was amazed at the hard working. Susan worked alongside her husband, a lobsterman. But her job was always measuring and banding the lobsters. She had painted many lobstermen, but never a woman. This simple idea has evolved to encompass not only lobstering, but women, family, heritage, community, adapting to changes in our environment, and understanding our food sources; it encompasses a very wide audience. People are fascinated to learn about these women carrying on family traditions, being part of their fishing communities, and doing the jobs usually associated with men.Susan Tobey White's painting were displayed at the Penobscot Marine Museum. The reception at Penobscot Marine Museum was attended by more than 300 people. It was fascinating to hear the comments and questions the people had of the lobstering women. Many people assumed the women had men beside them to do the hard work. The women set them straight!