The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum will present Gunning the Chesapeake: The Artwork and Guidance of Roy E. Walsh at Easton’s annual Waterfowl Festival next month.The exhibition curated from CBMM’s extensive waterfowling collection showcases a selection of Walsh’s original artworks and decoys by the carvers whose work he touted in his 1960 book, Gunning the Chesapeake: Duck and Goose Shooting on the Eastern Shore. It will be on display as part of the Artifacts Exhibit at Easton High School throughout the festival, which runs Nov. 11-13.
A waterfowl ornithologist and hunter, Walsh published Gunning the Chesapeake as a guide for the amateur or seasoned hunter, describing how, when, and where waterfowl may be taken on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
In addition to photographs, he illustrated the book with pen-and-ink drawings explaining arrangements of decoy rigs relative to a duck blind location and the direction of the wind. Further etchings and pen-and-ink illustrations open each chapter.
“What’s exciting is this is the first time these artworks will be exhibited since they were given to CBMM a few years ago,” said Chief Curator Pete Lesher.
Alongside Walsh’s original artworks in this exhibition will be decoys by the carvers featured in the book, including the Ward Brothers of Crisfield, Charlie Joiner of Chestertown, Jessie Urie of Rock Hall, and the Elliott Brothers of Easton.
To learn more about the Waterfowl Festival, visit waterfowlfestival.org. F