Phil Cusumano, a former commercial fisherman, has incorporated a lifetime of experience on the water into his artwork. A captain still at work on the ocean as well as in his art studio. Casumano will be exhibiting a range of his local maritime art in August at a gallery in Salem.

The public is invited to a free art entertainment reception located in the Hawthorne Hotel off the Salem Common. Cusumano's art includes paints scenes of fishermen, and documents the work aboard Gloucester fishing boats and activities from the 1950s to current.

His maritime and naval art consists of seascapes and scenes from the North Atlantic coastline as well as scenes from the past of tall yachts and schooners. " I like to paint about an activity in the marine industry. A theme about a painting can come from the fishermen who view my work. We always discuss 'the good old days' and out of that usually comes an idea," he said.

"Since I participated there, I can show the viewer a perspective that I and other fishermen get. I have friends who were also in the fishing industry see my paintings and cringe. They say 'wow, I remember exactly what that felt like.'" Cusumano is a member of the International Society of Marine Painters, the American Society of Marine Artists and Society for the Encouragement of Art. Born in Gloucester, Cusumano's passion for art began as a small child.

His dad owned commercial fishing yachts in Gloucester for 50 years. He began fishing at age 13 during summer vacations on his father's draggers. He graduated from Gloucester High School in 1969 and fished full time on his father's yachts. "However, I loved art and I was always drawing, even when we were out at sea," he said.

After he studied art, he began working with watercolors from 1972 to 1988. He then incorporated oil paints. " Details are important to me, so I take special care in making the drawing as close to the actual photo as possible," he said. "My satisfaction extends from being able to depict the feeling of fishing as if you were standing right on deck."

Due to the fact he has lived the life of much of his subject matter, he said he finds that his personal experiences at sea help him to recapture the feeling of detail in his art work. His experiences in commercial fishing total 19 years, but as government regulations increased and fishing stocks decreased, Cusumano got out. He decided to put his artistic ability to work and opened up a small graphic design business.

Cusumano has won several awards for his paintings and mirror etchings. He signs all of his artwork with the signature "Filippo," which is his name on his birth certificate. "I was born with that name and I was born with a love of art and drawing," he says.

While the captain stays busy on the water, perhaps delivering a boat from one location to another, or skippering a 60-foot boat in Boston Harbor, he said he remains true in his desires of capturing the beauty of Cape Ann and to document the entertainment fishing industry, both past and presently.

In the event of the Eastern rig boats, which fish from the side, he knows they are being replaced by ascetic fishing boats so "it is substantial enough for me to keep the history alive," he replied. The exhibit will run through Aug.6th at the Kensington-Stobart Gallery. For more information you may call 978-825-0022 or visit www.philcusumanoart.com.