Portrait of Augustine “Augie” Rivera by Rebecca Bretz
Preserving History
In the last issue of the Dolphin Talk, I had the opportunity to witness a significant part of the Seadrift Fishermen Legacy Project. Members of the project have set out to honor the history of commercial fishermen from Seadrift. The project is very complex: interview local fishermen, create a two-hour DVD, publish a photo narrative book, create a calendar and portrait of each fisherman. This Legacy Project will accompany the Centennial Celebration of the town of Seadrift on December 1, 2012.
I have met financial advisor, Pam Booton and videographer, Kevin Dvorak; I was excited to speak to portrait artist, Rebecca Byrd Bretz. All three are from Austin and have gone above and beyond to help.
Rebecca became involved with the Seadrift Fishermen’s Celebration in August 2011. Pam Booton and others had visited the Seadrift Art Boat gallery, and spoken with Aubrey Parker, who is the artist in residence, and manages the Art Boat for Dieter Erhard. Aubrey and Rebecca knew each other from back in the 1980s when they worked for the same company. He wanted to promote her work by displaying it in the gallery; Pam contacted Rebecca shortly afterward. She asked Rebecca if she would like to donate art to the silent auction to raise money for the project. Rebecca donated three prints for the auction, then volunteered to paint portraits of all the fishermen.
“I met Rebecca last October at the First Annual Fishermen Celebration. Pam Booton, a financial consultant from Austin had gathered together a bunch of artists from Austin to come down and support our fundraiser. The money raised would be used to preserve the oral history of the fishermen for the Centennial Day in December 2012. Pam had actually found Rebecca’s artwork at the Art Boat in Seadrift — small world,” Janie Waghorne commented. “I was amazed and awed to see her artistic talent at work. We had posted the photographs of some of the fishermen beside some of the painted portraits. It was a wonderful sight to see how she brought those fishermen to life. An outstanding artist! We feel very honored and blessed to have found her. She has such a gentle, lovely way about her. The fact that she created this and gave her time and talent without pay is commendable and so appreciated. I love that she did this in memory and honor of her great-grandfather from Sicily. That connection to her past seems so appropriate in our efforts to preserve the stories and oral history of our fishermen in Seadrift.”
Portraits:
“Poodle” Dennis Wittnebert
“Lucky Bucky” Lloyd Chatham
“Deputy Dawg” Dennis Williams
Rod Lee Taylor
Thai Nguyen
Donnie Helms
“Augie” Augustine Rivera
Marcus Blevins
Johnny Davenport
Y.Z. Helms, most recent
“The fishermen feed the world. To me, that means community. We need each other,” said Rebecca. “My great grandfather was a fisherman in Sicily, and I saw it as a way to pay tribute to my own family, in a way.”
After 2008, Rebecca accepted Aubrey’s invitation to place some of her art in the Art Boat. She had traveled to Seadrift a couple of times before October of 2011, when the Fishermen’s Celebration actually took place. “I think the people I have met in Seadrift are so kind and warm,” said Rebecca. “I’m an outsider, a stranger, and yet they made me feel so welcomed there. I find the people to be the reason to keep coming back. And I love the bay.”
The portraits of the fishermen are acrylic on canvas. Acrylic on canvas, with vivid color and texture, is her signature style. Rebecca mixes a couple of kinds of medium with the paint to alter the way it behaves and mixes together. She has always been an illustrator, beginning with pencil, moving to pen and ink, and then watercolor. Through the years, she has worked as a calligrapher, graphic designer, and art director… and nto making a great design and an award-winning piece. She also makes jewelry, crochets, and sews… but considers these hobbies.
“My passion is color and texture… and portraiture,” she explained. “The passage of time on a person’s face tells a beautiful story, and I see it as my contribution to their personal history to commit that beauty to canvas to be enjoyed for a long time.”
The portraits are on display at City Hall, so make sure to take time to go view them. You can also learn more about the Seadrift Legacy Project at www.seadriftfishermencelebration.org. I am eager to see the project executed; Jerry Weaver, Bubba Hall, Robert Sanders, Kenny Finster, John Ureste and Brad Weaver have been interviewed, but have not yet been painted. The people that have been a part of the mission are dedicated and extremely organized. The project is very ambitious and I’m glad I was able to see all of the puzzle pieces come together.
Till next time!
Augustine “Augie” Rivera
