For many years, the Chesapeake’s islands have been described as sinking, although really its the rising sea levels due to human-induced climate change that is responsible for the loss of shoreline. And its happing fast. I’ve read about some watermen communities in the late-1800s that abandoned their “sinking” islands in favor of dryer land along the Bay’s eastern coastline. In some cases, they floated their houses across the Bay to the Eastern Shore where they reestablished their lives. It must have been a sight to behold.
The images on this page track the progression of one painting in a series that draws inspiration from the Chesapeake’s "floating houses". I’m interested not so much in an accurate depiction of a historical event, rather a commentary on the invasive impact since the industrial revolution of human activity on the environment. As these islands, these wisps of land, succumb to the increasing effects of climate change, the floating houses are a reminder of the fragility of Earth's ecosystems and our role as stewards of the Earth.
As sea levels continue to rise and the Bay’s islands continue to disappear, I’m fearful for this place I love. How long will it be until the entire Shore is lost? What will become of the watermen culture that this special place has sustained since the seventeenth century?