New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Palavras e Pinturas: Historias de Portugal” (Words and Paintings: Histories of Portugal), a free public exhibition of works by Karen E. da Silva, Ph.D. will be on view June 7-10 in the Jacobs Family Gallery, New Bedford Whaling Museum, part of Day of Portugal weekend celebrations.
An author and artist, Dr. da Silva is American born. She is an educator and lives in Shelton, Connecticut with her husband, Augusto, who was born in central Portugal. In their frequent travels toPortugal, Karen was deeply inspired by the beauty, way of life, traditions, and culture of the country. She captured it in her daily journals in words and pictures, recorded the stories that Augusto told about growing up there, and painted from sketches and photographs in her home studio. The exhibition includes these stories in words and pictures as well as the nine picture books that she has written.
Of the exhibition, the artist noted, “My goal in this work is to honor the beauty and spirit of Portugal, its culture and traditions, and to let children and adults see how words and pictures work together to tell stories, to celebrate memories of childhood, and to inspire others to tell their stories. A good story becomes everyone’s story.”
This exhibition is sponsored by the Consulate of Portugal, New Bedford; Committee for the Day of Portugal; Portuguese United for Education; Azorean Maritime Heritage Society; and WJFD.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is the world’s most comprehensive museum devoted to the global story of whales, whaling and the cultural history of the region. The cornerstone of New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, the Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill in the heart of the city’s historic downtown. For events: www.whalingmuseum.org.
Interesting article.
My great grandfather Emmanuel Da Silva lists his place of residence as New Bedford USA on his marriage certificate. It seems he was a whaler, with family legend identifying him as a “seaman”. He appears to have migrated to Australia, in about 1855/60 arriving in probably Newcastle NSW (the major northern port) and finding his way to the Hunter Valley around Morpeth/Raymond Terrace (inland ports of the time) on the Hunter River. There he married my great grandmother a Mary Anne (Marianne) MacDonald, a Scottish Presbyterian (Protestant) who required dear Emmanual to renouce his catholicism and change his name before marrying him – hence SILVER.
I am unsure whether he was born in Portugal or the USA. Nor am I sure as to how he ended up in Australia – was it because his ship journeyed to the Great Southern Ocean in search of whales and called into Newcastle (or another port) and he jumped ship?
Emmanuel and his wife had 6 children (3 sons and 3 daughters). Emmanuel died in 1909 and is buried at Allynbrook, near Paterson in the Hunter Valley. Mary Anne died in 1932 in Sydney.
I trust at some stage I can visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA and review the history of the whaling industry that my great grandfather was a part.