By Heidi Sutton
The Port Jefferson Ferry House has a fitting new addition. Staff member and Port Jefferson artist Jennifer Bardram was recently commissioned by The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company to create a large-scale painting to adorn the wall of the ferry house, and the result is impressive indeed. The colorful mural depicts the P.T. Barnum Ferry sailing in choppy waters on the Long Island Sound on a beautiful summer day with the Port Jefferson ferry terminal on the left and the Bridgeport ferry terminal on the right.
The artist, who prefers to paint in oils but chose acrylic due to the faster drying time, created the artwork in a realistic Americana folklore style reminiscent of famed artist Charles Wysocki. The project took approximately 120 hours over several months to complete. “I put a lot of time and heart into it and I hope I conveyed it as best as I could,” she said.
While she’s not painting, Bardram is a 15-year employee for the Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company and serves as supervisor and ticket agent. “How lucky are we that we have someone who is a long-term employee that can do something like this,” said Carol Koutrakos, HR/Claims Manager for the ferry. “We are very proud of her.” To see more of Bardram’s artwork, visit www.jenniferbardram.com.