CFCC and CEW Collaborative launch Innovative Boat Building program and artist collaboration
Wilmington, NC – Cape Fear Community College (CFCC) is excited to announce a collaboration with North Carolina artist Charles Edward Williams (CEW) and his CEW Collaborative students. To learn about the art of wooden boat building, CEW Collaborative students embarked on an immersive exploration that will culminate in a traveling exhibit and a publication.
During the month of April, CEW Collaborative students participated in in-depth interviews with CFCC boat-building instructors and students to learn about the rich history and craftsmanship of boat building and capture the meticulous process of designing and constructing wooden boats. Student-drawn illustrations and photography depicting boat designs and the various stages of boat construction complemented the interviews.
The project concludes with a traveling exhibit and a publication titled “How to Build a Boat.” Viewers will learn about the detailed traditional process of building a boat and the historical-geographical importance of how boat building pre-shaped and built the coastal landscape. The final exhibition will be in Georgetown, South Carolina, in October 2024.
“This collaboration presents an exceptional opportunity for our students and offers an amazing way to further educate the community about our wooden boat building program and the rich maritime history in Wilmington,” said Jason Rogers, Marine Technology Department Chair. “Depicting our processes and history through art will provide a unique perspective and garner the attention of a whole new audience. Our students and instructors are excited to see the final outcome.”
“I continue to see the need for students to expand themselves in self-actualization, to partake in the art of building, whether personally or professionally,” said Williams. “The key is engaging them through a process that correlates to their origins. It’s redefining the engagement process for why history and tradition matter.”
To learn more about CFCC’s wooden boat-building program, visit cfcc.edu/boat-building/wooden-boat-building/ .
