Beginning May 13, 2021, the Channel Islands Maritime Museum (CIMM) will be presenting its latest exhibition “Art of the Sailor” in its Brenda and Gary Farr Gallery.

When sailors left their homes to voyage across the sea, oftentimes they faced dangerous and extreme working conditions, horribly cramped quarters, and a journey that could stretch months to years. When stuck in these difficult and wearisome circumstances, some sailors used art to express themselves. “Art of the Sailor” will feature a unique collection of scrimshaw pieces (many of which have never been shown before at the Museum), decorative and working marine knots, unique embroidered items, and other sailor-made artifacts. Several of the items to be featured in the exhibition have never been seen outside of their privately-owned collections.

To accompany the exhibit, on May 19th, the CIMM Speaker Series will feature author and knot-tying expert Lindsey Philpott. A knot-tying book author, civil engineer, furniture maker, woodcarver, forensic engineer, and forensic knot analyst, Mr. Philpott will be sharing his amazing experiences and his love of the sailors’ art of knot tying.

“Art of the Sailor” runs through August 23, 2021. Entrance to the exhibition is included in the price of admission to CIMM. Admission is: free for Museum members, $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for youth (ages 6-17 years), free for children age 5 years and under.

The CIMM Speaker Series featuring Lindsey Philpott is scheduled for May 19. Speaker Series attendees are welcome to visit the Art of the Sailor exhibition starting at 5:30 p.m. before the Speaker Series presentation at 7 p.m. Admission is: free for members, $7 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 youth (ages 6-17 years), free for children age 5 years and under.

About the Channel Islands Maritime Museum

Founded in 1991 and located in Oxnard’s Channel Islands Harbor, the Museum’s galleries feature rare and beautiful maritime paintings dating back to the 1600s, more than sixty world-class models of historic ships, rotating  thematic exhibitions, and interactive exhibits that encourage visitors to expand their horizons about everything maritime. The Museum is currently open Friday-Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Located at: 3900 Bluefin Circle, Oxnard CA 93035. www.cimmvc.org