Camp Pictures Forever
Camp Pictures Forever
by Melissa Yonan, Alumni Director
The Waterfront
Not gonna lie, my life as a full-time camper is pretty great. During the academic year, the “Central PA CCCI Office” is located in State College, PA (is the voice in your head saying “We Are…Penn State!). I patiently (and at times, not so patiently) wait to flip the calendar to June so that we can pack our duffles and head north to Camp for the summer. But that is simply the last step to connect us to Camp. Even though I’m far away from Camp distance-wise, it’s not hard to find camp in our home all year round. From camp shirts in the laundry, to my kitchen clock of two canoers with the words “Camp Forever,” to cabin pictures scattered about, to Peter Ferber’s “The Waterfront” that was commissioned for Deer Run’s 50th birthday hanging over our mantel—they all tell the Camp story and remind us of the place we love. And, over the years, I’ve realized that I’m not the only one with “The Waterfront” hanging in plain view; I’ve seen it in many of your homes, from Colorado Springs to Philadelphia, as you look out to the Boathouse, too.
The Front Lawn
Several years before Deer Run’s 50th birthday, Donna Cordes Lehmann suggested that we contact Peter Ferber and see if he would consider painting a watercolor of a camp scene that we could reproduce and make available to our extended camp family. Bob Strodel invited Peter over to camp one sunny summer day and during the tour, Peter took many pictures for possible paintings. I remember Peter saying, “There are so many beautiful places to paint, we could do a series.” That always stuck with me. At the time, we were certain that we wanted a larger painting and unanimously agreed on the waterfront, the place etched in everyone’s memory. Peter set to work, pencil sketches, then watercolor, and then Peter took the original to Hunter Printers where it was made into giclée prints.
Brookwoods Waterfront
When we started planning Brookwoods’ 75th Anniversary, we immediately talked about more art for our walls, and yours! We picked three scenes that celebrate Brookwoods’ ministry—all that God has done in this sacred place, through His people, for His children (campers and staff alike!). Peter’s initial idea of doing a series came to life with three new paintings, “The Front Lawn,” “Brookwoods Waterfront,” and “To The Boathouse.”
Peter Ferber with “Beating Around Plum Island”
Peter is practically our neighbor and exhibits his work twice a year at The Art Place in Wolfeboro. If you’ve spent time in the Lakes Region, you’ll recognize his work immediately. Since 1994, he has done the annual poster for the New England Chapter of the Antique and Classic Boat Society. Peter’s illustrations have appeared in national magazines, Yankee, Antiques, and Connoisseur. He shared with The Art Place, “In a world that is increasingly complex, impersonal and high-tech, I find myself intrigued with the simple, timeless, and more comprehensible things that often go unnoticed. Having grown up spending all my summers in Wolfeboro, I am drawn to the rural New Hampshire landscape as inspiration for my paintings—the sparkling serenity in the play of evening light across the lake, the simple purity of a white clapboard board in the snow, the warm patina of weathered boathouse shingles, are refreshing to my heart, as I hope they are to yours.”
To The Boathouse
As you look at Peter’s work, you can’t help but notice his mastery of light. At camp, we are also enamored with that play of light and the beautiful New Hampshire landscape. And what about that light? It reminds us that God made this very place with us in mind—we are especially thankful for Peter’s talents, and through his work, we can be reminded of His gift to us, no matter where we are.
This summer, the original watercolors are hanging in the Main Office lobby, and we’d love for you to stop by and see them. Camp prints are available to purchase, please email me. A portion of the proceeds go to the Scholarship Fund.
Giclées – The three watercolors have been made into limited edition giclées, which are museum quality, signed and numbered by Peter. They are are $150 each. Total print size approximately 23” x 17” (image is 19.5” x 13.5”)
There are 8 remaining gicleés of “The Waterfront,” which were made to celebrate Deer Run’s 50th. These are larger prints (23” x 35”) and the cost is $250.
Digital Prints – We also had the paintings reproduced digitally into smaller prints. Each print is $20, or the set of three prints is $50. Print total size 13”x 9.5” (image is 11” x7.5”)
P.S. Also available is a commemorative poster of the Boathouse, to purchase, please email me.
