Artist’s Statement

The studio of JUST SHIPS, located on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, produces three dimensional Stained Glass, Wood, and Metal art work. Whenever possible the material used is from re-cycled sources. Scrap metal, bottles, old copper pipes, electrical cables, driftwood and computer parts are utilized to manufacture these unique and individual sculptures. JUST SHIPS recreations of commercial fishing boats, tall ships and lighthouses, depict the vanishing maritime lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest.

John Latham (Tamerlin) is a long time resident of the Comox Valley. His creations can be found in homes and galleries as far to the south as Florida, California, Ecuador and Colombia, as well as in Europe and Eastern Canada. His work has a double edged value to today's society, by capturing and archiving a maritime lifestyle that is fast disappearing, and also showing us how we can re-utilize the flotsam and jetsam of our temporal lives to create something valuable and timeless. Tamerlin maintains a small studio and a unique showroom (a converted boat) at his home in the rural district.

Contact Information:

John Latham
1414 ANDERTON ROAD COMOX BC
Tel: 250 339 6492
www.justships.com

This lighthouse is built into a yellow cedar burl and is approximately three feet wide by three feet tall and two feet deep. It has solar powered revolving mirrors that reflect the sunlight, a loading dock and a beached troller as well as several other details including a "vine" covered rear section. As with all, "JUST SHIPS" creations, this lighthouse is constructed from antiqued and re-cycled metalwork and driftwood. (2004)

The " Ivory Queen" is a gaff-rigged yacht that stands approximately 15 inches tall, 12 inches long and 4 inches deep. Constructed from re-cycled copper, driftwood and glass (2005)

This antique finished gaff-rigged galleon is constructed from re-cycled metalwork and glass and measures approximately 20 inches tall by 20 inches wide and 6 inches deep. (2005)