Recap of the Event:

On Wednesday, August 3, twelve Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) members gathered at the Delaware Riverfront to learn about the one-time cod-fishing ship the Gazela, not from a “historian” per se, but from Brooke Lanier, an artist who has since March 2021 captured aspects of the Gazela in her paintings.

Brooke complimented the great spirit and generosity of her fellow volunteers, as well as informing them of activities on the boat, which include a concert series and “plein air” watercolor sessions which she will teach starting on August 18. For that multi-week event or future ones, she encouraged participants to check the websites for the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild at https://www.philashipguild.org/events and her site at https://www.brookelanier.com/post/watercolor-workshops-on-the-waterfront.

Brooke would be glad to answer inquiries about the Gazela, whether on board or at her studio at 820 S. 4th Street.

—————————————–

For the past year and a half, local artist Brooke Lanier has been making paintings inspired by the 1901 Portuguese barkentine Gazela, a cod fishing ship moored at Penn’s Landing. Since this spring, she’s been volunteering every week to help with the restoration efforts required to get this beautiful ship back to sailing. Through doing so, she has learned about the history of the Gazela and the way the ship is constructed, which has impacted her paintings.

Join the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides (APT) in touring the Gazela, with special emphasis on its copper cladding, which features prominently in Lanier’s paintings. Binoculars are recommended. Learn about her thought processes, observations, and the techniques of translating concepts into paintings. We will walk from Penn’s Landing to Brooke Lanier Fine Art,  approximately a mile away at 820 S. 4th Street, where we will see the resulting artwork.

The first portion of the tour around and aboard the Gazela will last 30-45 minutes. After this, we will continue the conversation on the walk past the other historic ships of Penn’s Landing. We will make our way along the Delaware River and end up at Brooke’s studio, where she will present a series of paintings directly related to the first portion of the tour. The total tour will last approximately an hour and a half, though people are welcome to stay, look at art, and ask questions for as long as they like.

Suggested donation $15, paid in cash at the beginning of the event. 

Maximum number of participants: 10. Those interested must register by email at

Wednesday August 3, at 10 am for about 1.5 hours 

STARTING POINT The Barkentine Gazela is located toward the north end of Penn’s Landing – Columbus Blvd. and Market St. – next to the RiverRink (101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd.)

Portfolio: brookelanier.com; Instagram: @brookelanierfineart