A Labor of Love . . .

Researching, carving, sanding and painting the one-of-a-kind ships, lighthouses and planes that end up in retired bottles of all shapes and sizes is a time intensive labor of love for Jim Goodwin. Ask pretty much anyone who knows him and they will tell you that Jim is rarely seen without some type of history book, carving tool, delicate piece of wood or paint brush in his patient hands. Jim got started making ships in bottles when artist friend Harris Holt suggested it to him. Jim read two books and got hooked. Having made, and still does, large models for private collectors & museums, he already "knew the ropes." His model of Josiah Fox’s Hornet, 1805-1829, was in the USS Constitution Bicentennial Exhibit in 1997. You can see Blackbeard's sloop Adventure and Queen Anne's Revenge at Teach's Hole on Ocracoke, and his CSS Nashville raider can be viewed at Ft. McAllister Museum in Georgia. His recently completed tern schooner Crissie Wright will be displayed soon at the NC Maritime Museum.

The Shows and Demonstrations . . .

Traveling from Charlotte, NC, Jim packs up and hauls his booty . . . I mean bottles . . . to a wide variety of festivals. He always has a great time meeting people and talking about his latest creations. Jim always gets special requests from people who want their favorite lighthouse or ship to become one of Jim's one-of-a-kind carvings presented in a special bottle just for them. Museums in the Southeast have invited Jim to demonstrate this maritime art form. He is most happy to do so, and has inspired many folks to preserve this unique craft.