Davidson family

Artist Bio

This is a family story, begun by Jim and May Davidson on the craggy Maine Coast. In the small town of Round Pond they, their family and their neighbors craft wind bells that echo the distinctive and familiar tones of coastal and harbor bells.

For many years Jim, like his neighbors, worked as a lobsterman. He spent countless hours on the water listening to pounding surf and the constant warning of bell buoys. After a time, it occurred to him that others might also enjoy the reassuring sound of bell buoys.

He began recording the sounds of bell and gong buoys where he hauled lobster traps, and then eagerly sought other bells in the region. After hours of listening to these tapes and painstakingly working pieces of steel to match the tones, he produced his first set of bells that recall the haunting, yet comforting sounds Jim experienced while working along the New England Coast.

Each bell is based on Jim's interpretation of the gong and bell buoys in the areas for which they're named. Because of the wide variance in their tones, his groupings have resulted in single, double and triple-toned bells. Each is reminiscent of the magic he experienced on the water.

As time has passed, Jim and May's children, Connie and Paul, have gone on to create additional bells.

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