Schooners in Harbour, Eastern Tickle, Newfoundland, by Barry Penton

Eastern Tickle was the largest of the four small communities which were established out side the Town of Fogo. It was established in the 1800's. One source places it's date of birth as 1857. In 1871 the population was totaled at 70, in 1889 it was 107, and the census of 1935 show a population of 60.
The people who settled here most likely came from the shores of surrounding Notre Dame Bay in search of better fishing grounds.
One of the more prominent features within Eastern Tickle was the Church of England school house. It had classes of grades one to six. The school was only open during the summer months. T At the time if a person had a grade eight education they were able to teach school. In 1911 the school had 17 students.
The community is said to have been the site of a cod liver oil factory owned by Stanley Layman.
The 1871 listings show a total of 15 families including 12 fishermen. Family names associated with this town in 1871 include: Barry, Elliott, Forsey, Hart, Leat (Leyte), Paine (Payne) and Pelley. By 1935 the Barry's, Elliott's, Pelley's and Hart's had left, however the Payne and Leyte families had grown substantially. Later, new families of Osmond, Wells and Burry were in residence.
This little community was finally resettled in the early 1950's. The last structure to be floated out of it's harbour, was the house of Hubert Forsey, which was 'shifted' to Joe Batt's Arm.
To day all that remains of this once thriving town, is the well-trodden hiking trail, and a cellar that stands proudly on the side of a hill.

The Eastern Tickle site is a popular place for people who like to stroll along the sea shore. In summer a meal of fresh mussels may be harvested and boiled on the beach. This location also has one of the only beaches along this shore where one can see thousands of capelin coming ashore to spawn.

Thanks to Barry for contributing this article about Eastern Tickle, and for submitting a copy of painting which features 'The Tickle.' A very precise and exacting work which would look good on a Newfoundland Travel poster. Well painted Barry!
To view more of Barry's works, please click here.

Meet Barry Penton - A Fogo Islander

Barry was born and raised in the fishing village of Fogo, Fogo Island on Newfoundland’s Northeast Coast. At the age of 27, Barry is a newcomer to the growing world of Newfoundland Artists. Prior to taking his artwork seriously, Barry just sketched and done some minor painting with craft Acrylics. In December 2008 , Barry had attempted a painting of a winter-night scene of Outport Newfoundland. Barry had shown his work to Internationally Renown Newfoundland Artist; Ed Roche.

Ed’s comments were “ Not bad, but it’s too flat, we need some dimension to the painting.” With those Comments and Ed Roche’s commitment to ensuring Barry improved on the basics, Barry’s Art Career was Born in February 2009. Barry’s primary medium is Acrylic on Canvas, but is looking to explore the use of watercolor later.

While painting with other students, Barry became known as the master or painting fishing and rowing boats. Several which are featured in paintings. To date Barry has completed several paintings which primarily focus on his native home of Fogo. His work has been selling steadily across the province and country and is available in several galleries in St. John’s. In 2010, Barry along with 30 + artist will be working on a collection of Paintings entitled: Newfoundland and Labrador- Through the Centuries.

Today Barry works as a Recreation Therapist with Eastern Health in St. John’s Newfoundland and resides with his wife Wanda in Mount Pearl, NL

Barry’s work can be viewed and purchased online at:
www.newfoundlandshop.ca/BarryPentonGallery.htm

Barry Penton's, 'Late Haul'.

Barry Penton's most recent work Late Haul presents his viewers with a simple, but yet powerful view of by gone days in Newfoundland.

Barry writes: My latest piece of work is entitled "Late Haul" is in memory of my Wife's Grandfather Albert Cluett Sr. He has worked diligently years using his Newfoundland Pony from everything to hauling water to wood. This painting features Albert defying the elements to get his horse home to his Father's House before the unforgiving Newfoundland winters of years ago. It once again shows how life was a struggle for the outports of Newfoundland.

The picture is loaded with both atmosphere and a story. This is a world of simple, hard realities, and the viewer's attention is drawn to the image of the man, with a horse drawn wood sled. Barry makes effective use the time of day to tell his story.
This is a black and white world of basic survival. By painting this scene after the end of daylight, Barry offsets the hard qualities of the scene by the warm light which comes from the window. It tells of a world within - where family, and warmth and security offset the hardship of external struggle.

I like Barry's willingness to paint people and animals. Watch for this artist. He has a great future ahead.

Barry Penton, 'Hanging Clothes'

You know what I like about this work? Its the contrast within the subject. The setting is a Newfoundland harbour. Barry gives us a sky and water and a distant shore, but all the action of this work takes place in the lower third from the red building down.

I find myself following the opposite shoreline from left to right, and my eye is drawn to the bright red shed, and along to the open door and the ramp, and there is a small visual leap to the dock where we find the lady hanging her laundry. Barry closes the visual pathway in with barrels and a wooden frame.

The contrast lies in the subject itself. Our eye is taken from the fisherman's shed - to his dock. And, our vision is arrested - not by a fisherman forking fish out of a boat, or by a pile of nets, but by a woman working with her laundry on a clothes line.

There is a dark cloud which suggests the potential or rain, and her laundry blows in the wind. Maybe the woman is hurrying to bring her laundry in...or, she may on the other hand be hanging her laundry out and taking her chances.

But the action unfolds on a dock, and not behind or beside a house. And, this intriques me and I find myself asking why. What is Barry telling us?
Is it a social statement? Is the struggle of outport life, blowing in the wind?

Only the artist knows for sure.

Barry Penton - Artist on the Move!

Part of the magic of art is that each viewer brings something of him/herself when they view a painting. I'm sure that Barry Penton's 'Evening in Fogo Harbour brings a catch to the throat of many Newfoundlanders. Speaking personally, however, it reminds me of an evening sky I saw when I came upon a windmill sillhoutted against the dying sunlight in a town in Holland.

Its fun to read about a young artist for whom exciting things are happening!

Barry was born and raised in the fishing village of Fogo, Fogo Island on Newfoundland’s Northeast Coast. At the age of 27, Barry is a newcomer to the growing world of Newfoundland art.

Prior to taking his artwork seriously, Barry just sketched and did some minor painting with craft acrylics. In December 2008 , Barry had attempted a painting of a winter-night scene of Outport Newfoundland. Barry had shown his work to internationally renown Newfoundland artist, Ed Roche.

With a few words of encouragment and a little guidance, Barry's art career was born in February of this year. His primary medium is Acrylic on Canvas, but he is looking planning to move towards watercolour in the future.

While painting with other students, Barry became known as the master or painting fishing and rowing boats. Several which are featured in paintings.

To date Barry has completed several paintings which primarily focus on his native home of Fogo. His work has been selling steadily across the province, and country and is available in several galleries in St. John’s.

In 2010, Barry along with over 30 artists will be working on a collection of paintings entitled: Newfoundland and Labrador- Through the Centuries.

To see more of Barry's work click here.