“St. Mary’s” 11″ x 14″ Acrylic on Canvas

The original painting of Smedes Hall at St. Mary’s in Raleigh, N.C.  is sold, but prints are available in the following sizes and prices:

Fine Art Giclee on Archival Canvas: 9” x 12” $51.00, 11” x 14” $65
Fine Art Giclee on Archival Matte Paper: 9” x 12 $30, 11” x 14” $39

Custom Sizes and Greeting Cards Also Available.

Contact Sharon or

Arts & Things Gallery
704 Evans Street  Morehead City, NC 28557  (252) 240-1979

“Downeast Decoys” 24″ x 36″ Acrylic on Canvas

A dear friend and patron, Jim Stevens of Newport, N.C.,  suggested that I paint a “duck-carving” painting. Jim is an avid collector of antique duck decoys. Never having painted anything like ducks and decoys, his suggestion sparked my interest. Not really knowing much about the subject, I began thinking and researching. The more I researched, the more interested I became. I developed a concept in my mind as to what the new painting might look like, but still was not sure.

In December 2012 at the suggestion of my husband, Ragan, and Lou and Porter Wilson from Arts & Things, I went to the Core Sound Decoy festival on Harkers Island at the Waterfowl Museum. There, I researched, took pictures and learned more about this unique art North Carolina has to offer. If you have never been to the festival:

“Harkers Island comes to life the first full weekend in December each year as the Core Sound Decoy Guild holds its annual Core Sound Decoy Festival. The first festival was held in 1988 and it has become an annual pilgrimage for many.

The festival has many attractions that include antique decoy exhibits, retriever demonstrations, competitions including duck calling, loon calling and head whittling. There’s always decicious food offered by Harkers Island Elementary School staff and volunteers, and plenty of shopping opportunities from the many vendors who flock to the festival each year.

More information about this year’s festival will be added here when available. Put the dates of December 3rd and 4th on your calendar and come spend a day with us on Harkers Island.”

http://www.decoyguild.com/decoyfestival/

I came home and visited the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild Web site and studied more.

“Downeast Decoys” is a culmination of  ideas from Jim, from the Core Sound Decoy Festival,  the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild,  and my own special Gloucester, N.C.  view of Brown’s Island, near Harkers Island. The seashell in the window sill, however, is in honor of Jim’s wife, Anne, who has a collection of the most beautiful Bogue Sound conch shells I have ever seen.

“Jan’s Daisies” 16” x 20” Acrylic on Canvas

John had this work painted for Jan, who loves daisies.

In talking to John before the work began, I was particularly moved by the idea of white edges of the daisies against the dark background and the way the light illuminated the petals. The rich blue glean of the vase also adds strikingly distinctive color to this still life painting.

“Victory!” 16” x 16” Acrylic on Canvas

This painting was done for my nephew, Tripp. Tripp’s high school football team, Northern Guilford, claimed the 3AA state championship for the second year in a row! In the 31-7 victory, the Nighthawks played a championship rematch this year against Crest High School at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. Northern won their first state championship against Crest in 2010.

“The Wreck” 8” x 10” Acrylic on Canvas

Located in the Old Village of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, “The Wreck” is a popular and beloved view from the back of the Wreck of the Richard & Charlene Restaurant overlooking Shem Creek, its docks and surrounding marshland.

The Tale of The Wreck of the Richard & Charlene

At 3 p.m. on September 21, 1989, the sky was clear and sunny. Shem Creek was quiet, and some would later say serene – hardly a fitting herald for hurricane Hugo. Only 7 hours later, the eye of Hugo, the enormous Category IV hurricane, passed directly over the spot where the restaurant now stands. The water was rising and did not stop until it had covered the shore at least 8 feet deep. The Richard & Charlene, a derelict North Atlantic style trawler, next door at the Wando dock, was lifted with such force that the pile to which it was moored came right out of the bottom. Then, as the calm of the eye passed over, the ferocious hurricane winds came with unbelievable power from the West, turning the derelict trawler around, breaking it loose, and driving it over the neighboring dock, causing the deck planking to fold up like an accordion. When the monster had finally passed and the water receded, the trawler had impaled its enormous bulk on the bare pilings. For nine months the ruined trawler sat in place, immovable, washed over twice a day by the high tides until finally removed by salvagers, never to sail again.

It is in memory of this indelible event that the existing restaurant on the same site has been named The Wreck of the Richard & Charlene.