Marc Castelli’s “Discretion”: A Waterman Bracing for a Chesapeake Storm

In Marc Castelli’s painting Discretion, a Chesapeake Bay waterman tends his pound net near the Love Point lighthouse on Kent Island, Maryland, as a tropical storm approaches. The scene captures a moment of quiet tension: the bay’s light grows muted, the tide and wind build, and the decision to leave gear in the water—or haul it in—can mean the difference between protecting a livelihood and suffering a costly loss. “Leaving one’s gear in the water during such high wind and tidal events can destroy a pound net,” Castelli says. “Discretion is the better part of valor.”

Castelli, now 69, has painted scenes of the Bay and its working boats for more than three decades. The bay and the people who harvest from it are the central subjects of much of his work. He explains that his paintings come from time spent alongside watermen, watching their routines and learning the rhythms of their days: hauling nets, setting gear, and reading weather and tide. That direct observation feeds his imagery and gives his compositions an authentic, lived-in quality.

Though he is widely known for dramatic, colorful depictions of America’s Cup yachts, Castelli favors watercolor for many of his Chesapeake Bay scenes. He appreciates the medium’s capacity to convey atmosphere — the shifting light, the thin veil of mist, and the subtle tonal shifts of an overcast day. “Watercolor is the medium with which I choose to explore this subject and several others,” he says. “It has taken me years to understand the battle plan and logistics of watercolor.” The medium’s translucence and unpredictability suit his goal of suggesting the bay’s mood rather than rendering every detail with photographic precision.

Composition plays a vital role in Castelli’s storytelling. In Discretion, the lines of netting, the poles, and the gear draw the viewer’s eye into the scene, but it is the figure of the waterman that ultimately anchors the painting. Castelli designs his compositions to guide the viewer on a visual journey: first noticing texture and form, then arriving at a human presence to relate to. He understands how quickly a viewer will search for something recognizable and uses that instinct to structure the painting’s focal points.

Castelli’s connection to the water goes beyond observation. He sometimes works as a waterman himself and holds a Tidal Fisheries License. He has fished with the family of the waterman depicted in Discretion for 15 years, an experience that has deepened both his knowledge and the trust between artist and subject. That trust is evident in the candid, respectful way he portrays those he paints. Spending long stretches on the water — as many as 100 days per year — also keeps him immersed in the rhythms, weather, and craft of Bay life. He races in the Chesapeake’s traditional log canoe fleet, further connecting him to local maritime traditions and communities.

Over the years Castelli has earned friendships and access that enrich his work. “I am very fortunate that so many watermen have welcomed me not only to their boats, but into their families,” he says. Those relationships allow him to record moments that feel familiar and true: small, practical choices made in response to weather; the habitual motions of setting lines and nets; the quiet pride of people who depend on these waters for their livelihood.

While Discretion shows a single instant—a waterman preparing his pound net as a storm nears—the painting speaks to larger themes of stewardship, skill, and prudence. The title itself emphasizes a practical wisdom that is essential for anyone who works on the water: knowing when to act boldly and when to pull back for safety and preservation. Castelli’s watercolor captures not only the physical scene but the emotional atmosphere of that choice.

This article was originally published in the October 2020 issue.