PEOPLE OF INTEREST
nequins. Not hesitating, she covered the mannequin with
navigational charts and then painted waves over the body.
“When I created her, I was so excited, and it all of a sudden
hit me how powerful full-standing mannequins would be by
being covered in recycled navigational charts that are specific
to areas at risk of permanent inundation or experience repeated
Baldridge illustrates rising sea levels in her latest exhibit,
Oceana Phenomena. In addition to being shown at the Elliott Museum,
the exhibit has been displayed at museums and galleries
in Annapolis, Maryland and Key West. Her stated mission is to
raise awareness about threats to the coastal environment.
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It was during the 7th grade that Baldridge discovered that
she had artistic talent while in Suzi Smith’s class. Smith was
an art teacher who was strict and brilliant, recalls Baldridge,
and brought out the best in her.
“Something clicked,” Baldridge says as she looks back on
those days. “From then after, I blossomed. She gave me great
guidance. She was the kind of teacher that shared with me
the rules. She said, ‘You don’t copy out of Time or Life magazine.
If you want to draw a lion, you go on a safari or go to
the zoo. Take your own pictures. See your own thing. Do
original work.’”
Baldridge’s artwork has flourished. She started out using
pencil, pen, and charcoal and stayed with black and white.
One of her early drawings gained national attention and a
gold medal in drawing which was featured on the cover of
Scholastic magazine.
Since those early years, Baldridge has expanded her career
creating art that is inspired by her time at sea. Her accomplished
work has been shown worldwide including at Lincoln
Center, Times Square, the Louvre, Museum of Computer
Art and the Library of Congress.
More recently, her work has been exhibited at the Elliott
Museum. After moving to Stuart in 2018, she responded to
an ad from the Fort Pierce Art Club calling for artists to enter
a show by making a piece of art out of three-quarter man-
JANE BALDRIDGE
Age: 63
Occupation: Artist and
boat captain
People
Lives in: Stuart
Family: Husband, Jeffrey Fisher;
son, Jason Cook and daughterin
law, Brittany Cook
Education: California Institute
of the Arts; The Glassell School of Art
Hobbies: Sailing, reading and gardening
Who inspires you: Georgia O’Keefe and Judy Chicago
Something that most people don’t know about you: “I have
been pronounced lost at sea twice in my life. The first time, I
was 13. Additionally, I was accepted as a signature member
in the American Society of Marine Painters and the National
Association of Women Artists in 2020.”
People
flooding from storms and tides,” she explains.
People
TOM GRISSMAN
Baldridge’s Sea Stories paintings are colorful abstracts that capture the pictureperfect
days of her time at sea.
JANE BALDRIDGE
In her recent Oceana Phenomena exhibit, Baldridge educates on the dangers
of coastal tidal flooding.
“I want people to respect the oceans and the bays and
the rivers,” she says. “I want them to protect them. I want
them to know that without them being clean and healthy, we
cannot survive. I want them to understand how powerful
storms are, but also that the ocean is defenseless against us....
We need to move the needle by using art as a way to reach
people who haven’t embraced the situation.”