Sea Maiden 20 Teresa

Mermaid art and story by Robert Kline

This is a retired mermaid art print that is very limited in supply and therefore currently available in the following matted size: 11" x 14".

This beautiful mermaid art print and story are from a collection of Sea Maidens (mermaids), Sea Babies (mermaid babies), Sea Masters (merman), pirates, lighthouses and fairies created by renowned artist and novelist Robert Kline of St. Augustine, Florida.  The print is a lithograph reproduction of Robert's original watercolor and pencil painting. Hand labeled and signed by Robert in pencil, all the prints come with a 1/4" foam backing and the 5" x 7", 8" x 10", 11" x 14" are matted so all you need is a frame and they are ready to hang on your wall! Each print also comes with an excerpt from Robert’s novel The Forgotten Voyage of H.M.S. Baci. A fantastic saga in which multiple generations of the Roberts’ family explore the seven seas in search of the world’s mermaid and merman population. Thus, you receive the passage from Robert's novel describing the particular event in which the character(s) in the print were sighted. The following is the excerpt written for the Sea Maiden 20 Teresa print:

Big Bill, Stumpy Pete, Sleepy, Sushi, Pretty Willey, Dopey – their names hung like black crepe over the stout hearts of the surviving Bacis. As shipmates they had done battle with the villainous pirate Naughty Nat, made a good account of themselves and then were denied closure when Mother Nature parted the two quarreling ships and then masked them in her fury.

Those Bacis who had not joined the fishes now limped about, heroes of an empty war. They moaned as they sorted and tended tangled rigging and some sobbed quietly when they came upon one part or another of a departed shipmate: “That’d be Bill,” or “Sleepy won’t be usin’ that no more,” was heard as was, “Pass the parts bucket, mate, ole Sushi’s addin’ up!”

And no one had escaped untouched – Sir Edmund Robert, gentleman naturalists and Sea Maiden quester discovered his right ear lobe to be history and old Gnarly Dan lost an index finger and a broad rag of scalp. He told everyone, regardless of interest, “seems me hair’s a bit thinner, but I can’t put a finger on where!”

Captain Constance Daphne was the exception until about an hour after the last shot was fired, when a block hanging by a tread broke loose and landed squarely on her left foot, breaking more bones, big and small, than it had any right to do. So she hobbled about blaspheming her rediscovered husband and cursing his hat. The crew, to a man, now remarked they’d “know’d” all along he was in the undamaged target raft.

So back to the Peruvian coast they dragged, ever watchful for Naughty Nat as they repaired the good ship Baci.

Halley’s patented diving apparatus, though below decks at the time of the recent battle was unfortunately opposite one of Naughty Nat’s balls when it hulled the ship. Consequently, Sir Edmund spent his Sea Maiden vigils on the beach hiding in the underbrush. He had his 20^th sighting with Gnarly Dan, he now had more cantankerous and impossible garrulous since the shoot up. They had watched from their place of hiding as a Sea Maiden sat with her hands to her hair.

Sir Edmund whispered, “I believe she’s grooming, tending her hair, as it were.” To which the impatient Gnarly Dan responded, “I ain’t educated like you, sir, an’ I ain’t done a lot a larnin’, but I do know Sea Maiden an’ sailors, an’ both of ‘em ‘preciates beauty. She’s just enjoyin’ hers…. Gloryin’ in not wearin’ clothes like we does. See, they likes their beauty out in the open. It’s natural-like, if yer readin’ me chart. An’ she ain’t ashamed either; it’s soothing’ to her as summer rain.”

Sir Edmund thought about this and inquired, “Are all Sea Maidens beautiful?” It seems we’ve encountered uncommon beauty at every turn. There must be some plain ones – in fact, I recall hearing the crew speak at the tavern of some unattractive ones the other night. Hideous – like sea cows.”

Gnarly Dan hesitated before he responded, obviously reluctant to trust Sir Edmund. At last he relented, “Sir, yer not a sailor, but you seem a good sort, for a gentleman, so I’ll share a secret. No sailor wants every lubber to know about yer Sea Maidens beauty. We’re real protective-like. So, we lies – they’re ugly, Why, there’s one lives in the Gulf of Mexico, off Florida, near Cortez Island. Most beautiful creatures you ever see’d. Know what yer sailor calls her? Sea hagg. Ugly. Best kept secret a sailor ever had. Gobs in town got no idea she’s there. But ever ship sails by her home the crew deserts just to watch her. Onst a captain thought he’d be clever and sent a party ahead, lured her onto the beach, tied her up gentle-like and kept her out a sight til the ship sailed by. No problem, ‘cept one – them gobs what fetched her never returned. Let her loose and give her a tot a rum to settle her down a bit and spent the rest of they’s life on the beach lookin’ at her hobknobbin – lived on coconuts an’ fish. Died ole men. Happy ole men. Sea hagg, ha!”

Sir Edmund Roberts journal reads:

Maidenus Proudus, Teresa

Long hair, beautiful torso, healthy.

June 24 1833, Peru

There are many more Sea Maidens (mermaids), sea baby, pirates and sea masters prints available. Different characters and print sizes. Collect the series! This item will be sent flat via USPS 1st class mail or priority mail.