Winslow II Moves in at Crocker Park

Winslow II has a friendly, curious face with wide eyes and a cheerful gaze that betrays a hint of mischievousness.

He patiently cooperates as Marblehead’s children explore his rock and climb astride his low, curving back as eager parents snap photos for family albums.

It’s exactly the scene that would have warmed the heart of Beverly Benson Seamans, the internationally known sculptor whose hands formed Winslow II, the new harbor seal sculpture recently installed at Crocker Park.

“Children were everything to her,” said Lynne DeVoe, former president of the Marblehead Festival of Arts. “With this specific piece, it was meant to be inviting and friendly to children. He’s very child-friendly. ”

The sculpture was a gift to the town of Marblehead from John Seamans, the sculptor’s son, and the Marblehead Festival of Arts, and now stands in the park as a symbol of the “abundance of arts in our community,” according to a plaque.

DeVoe said that the idea for a permanent piece commemorating the festival’s presence in the town came about in 2010, but it wasn’t until spring 2014 that the plans truly took shape. It was then that DeVoe met John Seamans.

“I sort of was hearing rumblings that now both the senior Seamans were gone, the property was getting ready for sale, and it may have a piece,” DeVoe said, explaining that pieces of Seamans’ work filled the gardens around her Harbor Avenue home.

Over the next several months, DeVoe led a committee that worked with John Seamans to determine which could become the joint donation from the Seamans family and the MFoA to the town.

Winslow II was selected.

The first “Winslow” was commissioned for the painter Winslow Homer, DeVoe said, and resides near his home in Maine. Winslow II was created and added to Seamans Marblehead garden some time ago.

Last fall, the MFoA held a party in the garden’s of the Harbor Avenue home to announce the donation of the sculpture.

“It was such an incredible experience to be in those gardens,” DeVoe said, a tremor entering her voice. “I get emotional about it because I was just thrilled with the opportunity. We wanted the public to experience the garden.”

Winslow II spent the winter in a Festival of Arts member’s garage, and his rock was installed at Crocker Park in January, DeVoe explained.

“We chose Crocker Park because there’s no other sculptures there,” DeVoe said. “And Crocker Park is so related to the festival because we’ve done performing arts there for more than 20 years. “It’s also such a family park,” she added. “And the presentation of [the sculpture], it just greets everybody as they come down the lane.

“It’s Marblehead’s version of the ‘ducklings,’” DeVoe said, laughing.

On June 14, the Family of Beverly Seamans and The Marblehead Festival of Arts dedicated the sculpture during a ceremony at the park. The harbor seal now sits on his rock under a tree.

“Now that Winslow II has officially taken up residence at Crocker Park we would love to see the photos you are taking with him!” reads a post on the Marblehead Festival of Arts page on Facebook. “We invite you to post to our FB page, now and during the Festival, pictures of Winslow II with your kids, dogs, cats, birds,,,, well, you get the idea.”

Judging from the posted photos, including one in which Winslow receives his “first kiss,” Marblehead has fully embraced its newest resident.

Photo: courtesy of Herb Goldberg, MFoA Photo Historian