Show poster unveiled, call goes out for Small Boat Love-In entries

Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors, Inc. has unveiled a custom-designed poster for its 16th annual Maine Boat & Home Show, to be held August 10-12, 2018, on the waterfront in Rockland, Maine.

The colorful creation, wrapped in a palette of greens, again features hand-drawn artwork by local illustrator and furniture maker Clayton Thompson. The scene—in the foreground, a peapod rests on shore; behind is a quintessential Maine harbor complete with daysailer and coastal cottage—deliberately echoes the show’s focus on classic design, forward-thinking style, and precise workmanship.

Thompson said, “I wanted to create an image with a good classic feel, but also one that said, 'Drop everything, the ocean is calling. Let’s go!'”

Also show organizers have put out a call for owners of small craft to trailer their beloved boat(s) to Rockland for the 2018 Small-Boat Love-In. This will be the second annual groovy gathering of privately owned power, sail, and human-powered boats under 22 feet in length. It will take place in Buoy Park during the boat and home show. A big fleet of little boats is expected, power and sail, old and new, from Corsons to Whalers and hand-made canoes to go-fast fiberglass center-consoles. Visit https://maineboats.com/boatshow/small-boat-love-in for more information and to sign up. Privately owned boats of any kind or vintage are welcome. There is no cost to participate but pre-registration is required. Small Boat Love In exhibitors get into the show free and receive additional weekend passes plus a subscription to Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine and other perks. The event is sponsored by USHarbors.com.

Clayton Thompson has been involved with the show since he and his family relocated to the St. George peninsula from Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2015. Thompson’s wife, Amy, a true-blue Maine native, campaigned for years to persuade her husband to leave stability, extended family and a well-established client base in Utah for greener shores.

Thompson said, “It seemed like we were taking a terrible risk. Were we totally irresponsible to jump straight into a cross-country move, not knowing whether the business would sink or swim? Looking back, it has been a major upgrade in happiness. We made the right choice. For a bunch of nature geeks and art lovers Maine feels like home.”

In addition to his work as a designer and illustrator, Thompson is also a furniture maker. His company, Ivory Bill Furniture, creates bespoke handcrafted solid-wood furniture, examples of which will be on show at his exhibit booth during the August show. Thompson graduated with honors from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California, with a BFA in traditional illustration. He has worked for clients large and small, including Ashton Abeck for Pottery Barn Kids, Blue House Skis, Goyard San Francisco, and for many magazines. His design work ranges from branding to illustration to life-size wooden cutouts. This is the third year that he has designed the show’s poster.

As a souvenir of the 16th annual show, a limited number of posters will be available for sale during the event. Those who just can't wait until August can call MBH&H at 800-565-4951 to order an 18x24" souvenir poster suitable for framing ($10 plus taxes and shipping).