By Chelsea Reed
Our “ribbon of sand” celebration continues with more artwork inspired by Outer Banks moments! This time, these pieces are from Outer Banks Squared - The Art Show. It’s a popular art show at Seaside Art Gallery that’s all about local Outer Banks inspiration. What memories do you recall when you see this art?
1. Beach Cottages
Waiting for Summer, by Betty C. White
The soft creak of wooden floorboards… The juniper wood scent when you step inside… Few memories are more magical than the first moment walking into your vacation cottage. If it’s a traditional Outer Banks style home, the nostalgia is even stronger. Beach cottages like these are special places you have to experience yourself. A night spent in a bedroom with the window open and frogs and crickets chirping is something that both the young and old will never forget.
2. Nature Trails
Hiking in Kitty Hawk Woods, by Janet Groom Pierce
Beaches aren’t the only places to have fun exploring! There are a number of maritime forest trails in the Outer Banks. This peaceful bridge is found in Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve. Other notable wooded areas include Buxton Woods, Nags Head Woods and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.
3. Bird Watching
Happy Go Lucky, by Cindy Harrison
Bird watching is a popular vacation pastime. Hundreds of bird species visit the Outer Banks each year. It’s an easy hobby to get into because you can find all sorts of interesting birds wherever you go. Mallards and loons...pelicans and osprey...seagulls and great herons...the list goes on! Next time you visit, you definitely won’t want to forget your binoculars and camera.
4. Discovering Sea Life
Triggerfish, by Bruce Frazier
Outer Banks wildlife is just as abundant under the sea as on dry land. Experience the thrill of exploring underwater shipwrecks with a local diving company. Or, surround yourself with sea life at the North Carolina Aquarium without ever getting wet! However you choose to do it, you definitely want to put “seeing underwater animals” on your Outer Banks bucket list.
5. Sailing
Sailing Twins, by Suzanne Morris
Just you, the water, and the free open sky…that’s a mariner’s dream come true. The Outer Banks is the perfect playground for sailing enthusiasts. If you don’t know how to sail, it’s also a wonderful place to learn. You can take a ride on a sailboat cruise for breathtaking sunset views. A beautiful way to end the day!
Summer Traditions Start Here
Whether you’ve stayed at the Outer Banks for 5 or 50 years, all visitors share one thing in common: a huge passion for the area’s unique and breathtaking beauty. Want the summer fun to last forever? Find your own art treasure at Outer Banks Squared: The Art Show. All the art in this show is sized as 12 x 12 inch squares for easy decorating. You can dedicate a wall, room, or even the whole house to summer fun at the “Banks” any time of the year.
Nothing rewards you for enduring a sweltering hot summer quite like the crisp celebration of October. Filled with bountiful harvests, cooler evenings, bonfires, colorful landscapes and inspiration, this fun filled month is a creative festival for the senses.
Nothing beats a hard long day like being greeted by cute animals that make you smile. Luckily, original art has that too.
Whether you’re back home missing the Outer Banks beaches or pining for those days surfing memorable waves, there’s something for everyone when it comes to summertime on the Ribbon of Sand.
