Island Life: Changing Cultures, Changing Shorelines

(ST MICHAELS, MD – Tuesday, March 3, 2020) Chesapeake photographer Jay Fleming’s work will be featured in a new special exhibition at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Md., starting April 3, 2020. Island Life: Changing Culture, Changing Shorelines will be on display in CBMM’s Van Lennep Auditorium through Aug. 30, 2020.

© Jay Fleming

Fleming’s photographs reveal how the changing environment is affecting the cultures and shorelines of inhabited and formerly inhabited offshore islands in the Chesapeake. He discovered his passion for photography upon inheriting his father, former National Geographic photographer, Kevin, hand-me-down Nikon film camera at the age of 13. Fleming immediately developed an affinity to looking at life through the lens of his camera and what ensued was an exciting photographic journey that would eventually lead him to his career as a professional photographer. His first book, Working the Water—a photographic narrative of the Chesapeake Bay seafood industry—is in its third printing and his next book, Island Life—around which this exhibition is based—is expected to be released in the fall of 2021.

© Jay Fleming

“Jay Fleming is a consummate visual storyteller,” said Jenifer Dolde, CBMM’s Associate Curator of Collections. “His frequent visits to the islands and shorelines along the Bay have resulted in an intimate knowledge of the land and people, allowing him to capture moments in time that encapsulate our distinctive Chesapeake landscape and culture.”

The opening of this exhibition will coincide with the ninth annual Eastern Shore Sea Glass & Coastal Arts Festival, to be held at CBMM on Saturday and Sunday, April 4–5, 2020. This year’s festival will feature more than 90 artisans, many from the local Delmarva area, and others from as far away as Hawaii, who will exhibit and sell coastal and sea-glass related jewelry, home décor, art, and more. Fleming will discuss his photography along the shores of the Chesapeake Bay during a lecture from 11am–12pm Saturday, April 4, as part of the festival.

To learn more about the Sea Glass Festival, and for tickets, visit cbmm.org/seaglassfestival. On non-festival days, admission to see Island Life is free for CBMM members or with general admission.

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is a non-profit educational organization dedicated to preserving and exploring the history, environment, and culture of the entire Chesapeake Bay region, and making this resource available to all. Every aspect of fulfilling this mission is driven by CBMM’s values of relevancy, authenticity, and stewardship, along with a commitment to providing engaging guest experiences and transformative educational programming, all while serving as a vital community partner. For more information, visit cbmm.org or call 410-745-2916.