Preview: Remembering Sam Manning

40 Responses So Far to “Remembering Sam Manning”

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  [email protected] says:

  A cannon salute to Maynard, Jeff and all the folks at OCH for accomplishing what was not an easy task: A fitting salute in memory of Sam Manning. Sam was both a wonder and an inspiration to me in many ways, beginning with mentoring and drawings for promotional
  materials for the Swampscott sailing dories I was building in the early 1970s. The confluence of skill, kindness and strength-of-character came together in Sam Manning with resounding clarity and lasting, but always under-stated, influence. He endeavored to live a life that was the definition of integrity, as far as possible, and he both inspired and challenged those he encountered to do the same. What a gift! Thanks, OCH, for mirroring Sam so fittingly for all of us.

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  dennis bolduc says:

  Someone to admire and draw inspiration from !

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  Kaci Cronkhite says:

  A soul whose life and legacy we see more clearly. Thank you OCH. My heart is full. As many of you, spilling a few tears. <3

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  Ben Fuller says:

  Missed a few books. At Penobscot Marine Museum we are privileged to be the holders of Sam’s work. Some 1600 have been scanned and will be put up in PMM’s on line database. I’ll long remember the winter rows, ice forming on oar shafts, a trip to Two Bush, working on the reconstruction of Waymouth’s exploration boat, the New Years rows followed by a potluck at Sam and Susan’s. And a night spent on their loft floor when I first met them when I was working at Mystic.

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    Ben Fuller says:

    did I tear up seeing this. pax vobiscum sam

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  John Carroll says:

  When I arrived in Camden on July 16 (my son was sailing 420s in the Junior Olympics) the first thing I noticed were the bouquets and baskets of flowers in the dory. I immediately expected the worst—and it was soon confirmed. I knew of Sam from a few articles and of course seeing him out in his dory in Camden on my numerous visits to Camden harbor over the last 40 years. But I’d never said more than a passing “hello” as I passed by on the dinghy dock. Two winters ago, I found myself in Camden and I walked down to the harbor. Sitting on a bench was an elderly gentleman—and a women, down in the dory chopping ice. There wasn’t another soul around. I walked up and asked, “Is that your dory, by chance?” We had a wonderful visit on that bench while Susan chopped ice out the bottom of the boat. He told me of the cruise in his youth in a similar dory—said there had been an article about it (I found the article online that night). It reminded me of a cruise my father did when he was 15, with a buddy—600 miles in an open 14’ skiff. It wasn’t until after I’d met Sam that I fully realized the magnitude of his work—whether in Wooden Boat or in the many books I own that Sam illustrated. I believe that Sam lived his life on his terms, simply—a life well lived. I’ll cherish that chance meeting with Sam on a cold afternoon, two Januarys ago.

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  James Thomas says:

  A remarkable piece, connecting people like myself, who never met Sam Manning, to the man and a way of living. If the evening news brought us more of these stories, perhaps we’d all
  be a better people.

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    Victoria Burdick says:

    Echo that ~

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    Scott Baker says:

    yes and yes, thank you James and TY OCH

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  Jonathan Margolis says:

  What a wonderful piece–I have seen some of Sam Manning’s work, but now I feel as if I had met him, and as Maynard suggests, we are all the better for his having lived and been part of our world.

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  Graeme Foristal says:

  A Picture says a thousand words.
  Sam Mannings will surely go down in history.
  How privileged were we to see them.
  Thank you for a wonderful tribute
  g

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  Peter Gossell says:

  Nice tribute. Well deserved.

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  Kent Lewis says:

  Respect. Thank you for sharing the remembrances of a life well lived.

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  Philip Myer says:

  I am from the other side of the world, but lucky enough to have seen Sam and his wife rowing their dory off Camden when sailing with Tom Kiley and Ry Hills on Snow Star. As a draftsman I am in awe of the artistic quality and technical perfection of his drawing and the the Bud McIntosh book is a treasured record. Well done to Eric and Maynard for a moving tribute to this gifted man.

  Philip Myer- Birchs Bay Tasmania

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    Peter Hennessey says:

    Oh, Shenandoah, I’m bound to leave you,
    Away, you rolling river
    Oh, Shenandoah, I’m bound to leave you
    Away, I’m bound away, cross the wide Missouri.

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  Robert De Leo says:

  Thank you Maynard and Eric…for inviting us into this wonderful, heartfelt conversation between the two of you about this treasure of a man and his wife. Its a reminder to all of us about values, priorities and what a full life is all about. You are the best !!!

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  Ahoi Mench says:

  My wife and I sat here with tears in our eyes. You folks do such a wonderful job, moving us in such a way while informing us and stimulating memories of Sam’s drawings and a deeper meaning of life over the long years. Thank you.

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  Robert Baird says:

  I was fortunate to meet and become friends with Sam and Susan in the early 1980’s. Sam was illustrating a project I was working on at the National Trust for Historic Preservation. I would drive to Maine to review drawings, sleep on their couch then head back to Washington DC. Unfortunately the project was never completed by the National Trust, however it sparked a friendship that that has continued for nearly four decades. Fortunately many of the illustrations were used in other projects Sam was working on over the years. We feel honored to have rowed with Sam and Susan and will forever cherish those times together.

  Sam & Susan are great examples of how to be truly green, using and recycling everything. On our first meeting Sam was removing the shingles from his home, dipping them in used motor oil and flipping them over and nailing them back on the house. Their home is somewhat like a museum full of objects that were discarded by others and then reclaimed and made beautiful by their touch.

  I asked Sam in a recent visit how he would like to be remembered. He said humbly, “I hope I have left enough information to help the next generation clearly understand how things were made using simple hand tools”. His passion to teach by clearly illustrating means and methods, are his legacy.

  At the end of that visit Sam pulled out his harmonica and played his favorite, O Shenandoah, one of the hundreds of songs he could call from memory. That sweet melody will always remind me of him.

  As for Susan, an amazing women that made it possible for Sam to have the space to create and follow his passion, we will be ever grateful. Always his partner and by his side to the end. We will always love you both for sharing your lives with us. Truly and inspiration!

  We have lost a dear friend who was a window to the past.

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    Ben Mendlowitz says:

    Thank you Robert, and thanks so much for sharing for this video the closing scene of Sam playing his harmonica.

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  Harold Wheeler says:

  Outstanding individual, adding another name to the list of people I wish I knew.

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  ROBERT ROESCH says:

  This was a beautiful tribute to the best of humanity..brought tears to my eyes

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  Bill Baumner says:

  Easy to see Sam was a great man and free to follow his own inclinations and newly discovered way of life in Maine vs CT, and early in life that permitted him to progress into a well developed man who accomplished much for others and for himself; and without having become bound to the over-importance of money. He appears to have been a truly free man. Many have not had that opportunity because of up-bringing and its conditioning, and that is a shame. He apparently had the freedom to do so.

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  Robert Triggs says:

  Gratitude.

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    Ben Vette says:

    Thank you so much OCH .

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  Paul Sullivan says:

  Wonderful tribute to a man I did not know I knew – his work, that is. Wish I knew himself as well.
  I’d like to encourage OCH to do more with all the wonderful marine artists

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  Don Miner says:

  Eric & Maynard,
  Thank you for the beautiful tribute to Sam Manning.

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  Anthony Patch says:

  Excellent and Outstanding.
  Thank you and God Bless Sam.

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  John Silverio says:

  Sam’s essence was so hard to capture in photos, on film or in stories and I think that it was the rare suppleness of his thinking that will linger on in our memory. This quality perhaps comes out best in his drawings. Thank you Maynard and Eric.

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  Francis S Capsan says:

  A life well lived and a legacy of superb draughtsmanship.
  Most people haven’t a clue as to the difficulty of producing an accurate and pleasing perspective drawing.
  Having illustrated buildings as an “old time” architectural designer using horizon lines and vanishing points, and without CAD, I can say that illustrating a compound curved item such as a boat hull is 10 times more difficult than illustrating a box type shape.
  Sam Manning was a genius illustrator.
  Thanks to OCH for another great video.

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  Peter Bradford says:

  I read all the comments,they are all spot on! Not much I can add. Loved his drawings, so much better than photos for illustrating technique. I built a dory from the dory book , and devoured How to Build a Boat by Bud MacIntosh, loved the section on centerboard trunks! I met Sam and Sue in Camden a few times, truely unforgettable , they were partners in life. I feel bad for Sue now. Hoping for a fair breeze now, goodbye Sam. Peter Bradford

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  David Tew says:

  Sam’s “Oh Shenandoah”: such an evocative rendition of the folk song, sea chantey and a lovely way to end the piece. Eric- You mention attending The Landing School where you acquired Sam and Bud’s book. Sam illustrated a monograph about shipbuilding on the river just above Durrell’s Bridge near the school. It’s hard to fathom but in centuries past there were shipyards, sawmills and other mills along both banks, including brick works. Sam illustrated the challenges of launching and maneuvering the bare hulls down the narrow, winding shallows into Kennebunkport’s lower basin. There the vessels were fitted out. Meanwhile, was the location for that interview Maynard’s shop? Couldn’t be any nicer and well ordered.

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  Frank Crumbaugh says:

  sweet piece… thank you for doing it….. i was fine until the end, when the music and his reverie in making it got me snuffly

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  virginia aldridge says:

  The thing I admired most about Sam’s drawings was his ability to capture the essence of the subject matter, with nothing extra or distracting. Yet there were little details that were perhaps not essential, like the dog in one of the drawings in your video, that made the scene come to life and maybe even make the viewer chuckle. No photograph can eliminate irrelevancies as well as Sam could, and no computer-drafted drawing has as much humanity as Sam’s.

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    David Tew says:

    Right! And the single light bulbs hanging from the rafters dimly lighting one of the hulls in frame. Accuracy with a touch of humor.

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  Jerry Hickman says:

  It’s all about “ Life , Love, and the Heart of it !
  Thanks for the piece .

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  Jennifer Bunting says:

  What a fine and heartfelt tribute. Thank you, Maynard.

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  Harry Dickerson says:

  Finest kind…

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  Thomas McLaughlin says:

  Thank you Maynard and Eric, a wonderful celebration of life well lived.

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  Michael Babin says:

  What a great tribute.

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  Scot Copeland says:

  An absolutely beautiful tribute. Thank you.