By Chelsea Reed
Did you know the Outer Banks has a thriving local art community? From The Lost Colony production to Outer Banks Squared: The Art Show, it’s easy to see how Outer Banks residents are inspired by the natural beauty around them. Let’s get to know some of the local artists featured at Seaside Art Gallery! We’ll introduce them to you through their gorgeous art:
Catherine Hamill’s colorful paintings have graced the Outer Banks for over 15 years. Before she painted, Catherine was a photographer. She enjoys creating art from her studio in Downtown Manteo today. Catherine’s work is featured in many art galleries across the United States and Europe.
Known as America’s Lighthouse, this famous Outer Banks landmark is often painted by Hatteras artist Connie Cruise. She has enjoyed sketching since childhood and moved to “the beach” with her family as a teenager. Connie took many art classes as she grew up and strives to sharpen her creative skills today.
Sharon Whitehurst lives in Kill Devil Hills, NC. She works hard to support the artist and writer community in the Outer Banks. She volunteers at the nearby Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery and paints many art pieces inspired from her personal life and the Outer Banks area that she loves.
Doug Brannon grew up in a military family and enjoys living in the Outer Banks today. He co-founded the Post Millenium New York School together with artists from 14 different countries. Blending his experience as a university counselor, Doug taps into the viewer’s emotions through his beautiful and thoughtful abstract art.
Janet Pierce is an expert Impressionist artist. She grew up in the Virginia Tidewater area and lives here in Southern Shores today. Janet won many awards with her art. “I love lush color and bold lighting with unusual viewing or vantage points,” she says. “Hopefully, I convey my love for what I have painted.”
Billowy clouds and dreamy seascapes are unmistakable with Suzanne Morris’s artwork. She paints from her Nags Head beach cottage in the Plein Aire style, which is French for “outdoors.” Her paintings have graced the halls of corporate offices like Burt’s Bees, Verizon, and Duke University Hospital.
Get involved with supporting local Outer Banks artists by purchasing their art at Outer Banks Squared: The Art Show. Seaside Art Gallery is local, too! It was the first art gallery established in the Outer Banks in 1961. Shop their art now online, or over the phone!
Chelsea Reed is a copywriter who writes winning content, articles, blogs, and websites from her base in North Carolina. She might not be building sandcastles or swashbuckling with pirates these days, but the Outer Banks beaches continue to keep her young at heart.
