I'm writing to you today to thank you for for your interest in my work of history and art, Treasure Beaches of the Mid-Atlantic, and to let you know there is a companion piece available that could enhance your enjoyment of my map, make a wonderful educational tool for your children or gift for your favorite history buff.

When I was creating Treasure Beaches of the Mid-Atlantic, my greatest difficulty was deciding what not to include. After 15 years gathering research, there was so much that was so interesting but just wouldn't fit.

Treasure Legends of the Mid-Atlantic tells those stories I had to leave out -- about the pirates that sailed the seas off the mid-Atlantic Coast in our country's early history, about land pirates called "Moon Cussers" who lured ships to wreck on coastal shoals so they could plunder them, about the shipwrecks that lie beneath the sea just offshore that over time still give up their treasures when storms churn the ocean floor and wash bits and pieces ashore, and the story behind the map.

There is also a key to the unique abbreviations used throughout the map, a photo of my first "treasure" find ( the small piece of pottery that inspired the map's and Treasure Legend's border designs), pen and ink drawings of the pirates who terrorized our shores, and drawings I did of two Spanish pieces of eight found on Delaware's famed "Coin Beach." It also includes an article about laws regarding finding such pieces of history on Delaware's coast.

Treasure Legends is the work so many newspapers wrote about that led people to think I'd written a book. I did not. Instead I designed Treasure Legends to visually complement the map and tell the stories in a way that would peak interest among people of all ages. Coastal history has always been a major interest of mine as those who have followed my paintings through the years have seen.

Treasure Legends of the Mid-Atlantic is printed on parchment paper to resemble an aged newspaper page. The masthead bears pen and inks of two of the tall ships I initially drew for the map from descriptions given me by regional maritime archeologists. One never made it on the map. Each Treasure Legends of the Mid-Altantic is hand embossed with my seal of authenticity and signed by me over the emboss, just like the map.
If you click here, you'll be taken to the part of my website where you can see Treasure Legends larger and purchase it securely online. We also have it in the gallery and welcome you to stop in and purchase it in person. We're open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. I will gladly personalize this work for you, either at the gallery or via your web order's directions.

You can see my other historic works on my website, such as my new Silent Sentinel, shown at left. It's the official fundraising print for the restoration of one of Delaware's unique WWII watchtowers near Dewey Beach. 10% of each print sale goes directly to the project.

If you received this email in error, or don't wish to receive information regarding prints and stories relating to the map and nautical history, please just click on the unsubscribe button below and you'll be safely taken off my mailing list immediately.

Conversely, if you'd like to be kept abreast of my debuting works and/or other artists in my gallery, you can click on the Email Subscription button at the bottom of my site's homepage and designate with a click what notices are of specific interest to you.

My hope is this information has been helpful to you and more than that, that you and yours have the best of holiday seasons and a prosperous 2009!

Sincerely,