Carol Vaughn Watercolors

Every painting has a story...

This painting below is of our boat, painted for our boat business card. It's a practice for cruising sailboat owners to give other cruisers a boat card since pen and paper are not always available when sailing. The photograph for this painting was taken by the owner of Slip Stream as both boats were sailing to Baltimore. 

11" x 19" CS 36 S/V Dianthus. NFS

The CRAB Regatta in 2016 was another day with not a lot of wind but a lot of heat on the Chesapeake Bay outside Annapolis, MD. The start of the race always causes me some anxious moments with lots of large boats jockeying for position on the line. Incognito deftly slid by us at the start. We did take third in our class in this race so it did turn out to be a good day for s/v Dianthus.

18" x 12" Canadian Sailcraft  30 Slip Stream SOLD

I took the photograph of CS 30 Slip Stream as the owner was taking the photograph of our boat. I decided to paint them both.

Our crew race from April to November on Wednesday evenings with the Rock Creek Racing Association in Pasadina, MD. As many of the sailors there have said, "If you want to learn to sail, go racing." This past summer the wind was not our friend and it seemed most Wednesdays just as we were all in the Patapsco River to start racing the wind would turn off. Though the racing was at times frustrating the sunsets were always beautiful. It is a fabulous way to destress after a busy day. 

Spinnakers make a boat fly on the water and make any painting beautiful with a blast of color. 

My husband, sails in the Potomac River Sailing Association Laser frostbite series and from time to time I come to help on the committee boat and take photos. Later I go home and paint watercolors. The first painting in this gallery with the Capitol in the background is from the 2017 Hangover Regatta. Click on the painting to see others listed below

1. 11" x 9" Hangover Regatta. SOLD

2. 18" x 24" At The Start

3. 9" x 12" Laser in Reflection. SOLD

4. 18" x 24" Return After Mark Rounding

5. 18" x 24" Turning the Mark

The following paintings were painted by request of the boat owner or just because I liked the photo I took. If you have a boat you would like me to paint please send me a message and I will contact you to discuss the commission. I will need a high resolution photograph, other reference photographs are helpful and if you would like yourself or others to be in the boat a photo of the crew as well. 

1. 18" x 24" Witchcraft  SOLD 2. 12" x 18" Southern Cross   3. 18" x 24" Natty Boh't  SOLD 4. 12" x 16" Columbia   5. 18" x 12" Sandpiper  GIFT .

6. 20' X 14" Java  7. 12" x 18" Rum Away  SOLD 

In the spring of 2016 I was helping wax our boat at Oak Harbor Marina. I took a break and sat down and drew the owners of Glass Lady while they were also waxing their boat. I took a few photos and took the drawing home. I painted this painting later in the spring and showed it to one of our crew when the sailing season started. Our crew member was excited to see the painting. "I know them," he said, "their anniversary is coming up. I would love to buy it for them." I posted the image on our marina's Facebook page and another sailor contacted me to see if they could purchase the painting for their friend's anniversary. I got these two together and in the end twenty sailors surprised their friends with the painting as a gift.