The ruggedness of nature is reflected in his images of the turbulent Maine coast, in which he captured waves breaking on its rocky shores under windblown clouds and thundering weather. Paintings like Mystery Sea convey the bulk and weight of surging water pounding against the shoreline in such an effective way that the viewer senses they can hear the roar of the wind and surf and feel the spray in the air. “To paint a wave, one must know how a wave breaks,”[1] he advised students, and Connaway proved to be a dedicated scholar of the sea. His paintings were much admired, so much so that critics often compared him to Winslow Homer and described him as one of the finest marine painters of the 20^th century: “There are Homeric passages in the Monhegan marines by Jay Connaway at Macbeth Galleries, for Connaway paints Homeric subjects…It is stark, uncompromising stuff with a man’s heart in it as well as an able artist’s expression.”[2]

More information about this painting...

Provenance:

The artist

Upon his passing to the collection of his wife, Louise Connaway

To private collection, Madison, Connecticut, date unknown but likely circa 1970s

By descent to private collection, Essex, Connecticut, 2010 to present

Inscription:

1). (upper left verso in black) JC 10

2). (center verso in black) 20 x 30 / Noreastern Sea Monhegan (crossed out) / (A.H.) / Jay H. Connaway N.A. / “Mystery Sea”

3). (center verso in pencil) Jay H. Connaway

4). (lower left verso in black) Exhibited: / Kennedy Gallery / N.Y.C. / 1957/1962