Cat Bachman Discusses Her First Dan's North Fork Cover

With our Labor Day Dan’s Papers North Fork focused on all things Greenport, including the East End Seaport Museum’s upcoming Maritime Festival, we had no choice but to select a seaworthy painting featuring a tall ship like the ones often seen at the annual event.

This charming artwork comes to us from East End painter Cat Bachman — frequent Dan’s Papers cover artist, first-time Dan’s Papers North Fork artist. Here, she discusses “The Pirate Ship,” sailing, North Fork trips and more.

A Chat with Cat Bachman

What initially inspired the idea for this week’s cover art, “The Pirate Ship,” and how did this swashbuckling scene develop as you planned and painted it?

Shiver me timbers! The moon was high and the waters calm when I spied a pirate ship across the bay. My imagination greeted the free-spirited, ruthless seafarers as they pillaged vessels from Orient to Aquebogue to Sag Harbor. Of course, this captain and his fishy buccaneers always ask nice before taking the goods.

Since pirates are nocturnal, I wanted to paint a night scene with pirates doing what pirates do: counting their booty, dueling, drinking. But also singing, dancing and creating not just havoc, but merry mayhem on the high seas. I stuck with convention by including a parrot, a hook and a Jolly Roger flag, as well as traditional pirate garb with plenty of stripes and bandanas. The ship is designed to look like an old wooden vessel equipped with cannons and a smiling shark for a masthead. The painting was a joy to work on.

This seems like such a fun-loving pirate crew. What could that fish have done to end up walking the plank?

That fish is a swabbie, the lowest ranking crewman, whose job it is to mop the deck. Unfortunately, in doing so, he missed a spot. Being forced to walk the plank seems a harsh punishment, indeed, especially with sharks circling below. But, this captain insists on a clean and tidy ship.

Do you enjoy sailing as much as these fishy pirates, and have you ever done so on a tall ship like theirs?

I love sailing and spent many summer days on my uncle’s sailboat growing up. As far as tall ships go, however, the fish pirates have that one over me. I’ve never sailed on a tall ship. I have climbed aboard the historic vessels at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut though, including the last surviving wooden whaleship, and I plan to attend the annual Maritime Festival in Greenport this month to tour a tall ship there, as well.

Have you spent much time on the North Fork, and do you have a favorite spot to visit there?

I live on the South Fork but visit the North Fork often. It is a lovely drive to the farm stands, garden centers and vineyards, as well as to the quaint villages of Mattituck and Greenport. It’s the perfect day trip!

What upcoming art events, exhibitions or other projects are you working toward now?

Currently, I have several paintings in the works, including a regal pair of frogs, “The King and Queen of Poxabogue” and a yacht full of my fish characters.

Would you like to share any closing thoughts or additional information?

First, as always, I want to thank you and Dan’s Papers for once again featuring my work on the cover, this time the North Fork edition. And, I’d like to wish everyone on the East End a safe and happy Labor Day!

To see more of Cat Bachman’s artwork, follow @catbachman on Instagram and check out her website catbachman.com.