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Nags
Head
A treasure trove of art galleries is tucked
into Nags Head's Gallery Row. Seven galleries and a consignment shop are within a block of one another, and three more galleries are in the vicinity. This little art mecca
is a great place to spend an entire afternoon, poking in and out of each gallery and
chatting with the owners. Gallery Row is
around MP 10 at Gallery Row and Driftwood Streets. Park at any of the galleries
and walk to the others. This is a low-traffic,
laid-back area so don't feel rushed to get
out of your parking space. Nearby on the
Beach Road are Seaside Art Gallery, Anna
Gartell's Gallery by the Sea, and The Yellowhouse Gallery.
Lighthouse Gallery and Gifts
Gallery Row, 301 East Driftwood Street
Nags Head
(252) 441-4232, (800) 579-2827
www.seabeacons.com
Carole and Russ Burnett are the owners of
this shop dedicated to the "Keepers of the
Light." The gallery is a replica of an original Victorian-style lighthouse representing
the U.S. Lighthouse Service in its prime at
the turn of the 20th century. Open every day of the year except
Christmas, this shop features lighthouse
art and artifacts, including hundreds of
lighthouse models, collectibles, brass nautical memorabilia (such as compasses,
sextants, and octants, both authentic and
reproduction), books, jewelry, prints, paintings from all over the United States, and
local artwork. The special collection of
lighthouse books with photography by
Bruce Roberts displays unique and breathtaking views of these beloved sentinels. Add your name to the Outer Banks
Lighthouse Society newsletter mailing list
at the gallery, or call for information about
joining the society, which boasts 600
members.
Sally Huss Gallery
Gallery Row, 300 East Driftwood Street
Nags Head
(252) 441-8098
www.ceramicsbythesea.com
Sally Huss Gallery features the upbeat original art and prints of the California artist of
the same name. Huss creates impressionistic paintings in bold colors featuring child-you want to view a major collection of origlike scenes. Her designs, coupled with cheerful sayings, are transferred onto mugs, gift wrap, T-shirts, cards, and key chains. Adults and kids alike get a kick out of her lighthearted creations that are dotted with toucans, mermaids, elephants, hearts, and sailboats. You'll also want to see the original ceramics created by Bob Martin. In addition to Huss's art, this gallery features unique home decor, gifts, and work from local potters. The gallery is open all year.
Ipso Facto Gallery
206 Gallery Row, Nags Head
(252) 480-2793 The merchandise at Ipso Facto--antiques, curios, and objects of art from all over the world--is eclectic, and reasonably priced. Look for furniture, ethnic trinkets such as Mexican holiday candleholders, and original paintings. Ipso is really more of an antiques shop than a gift shop. It's a great place to browse, ooh and aah, and, of course, find a treasure to take home. Ipso Facto Gallery is open year-round; it's closed Sunday.
Morales Art Gallery
207 East Gallery Row, Nags Head
(252) 441-6484, (800) 635-6035
www.prints-r-us.com Mitchell and Christine Lively at the Morales Art Galleries have made financial success a personal reality for many struggling artists by showcasing their work and producing fine-art prints shown at their three gallery locations on the Outer Banks. Morales Art Gallery is the oldest art venue on Gallery Row; the late Jesse Morales first opened the doors in 1971. Today, the Morales galleries and Fine Art Print Shop carry fine original local, regional, and nationally known art. Showcased here are the works of Larry Johnson, Pat Williams, Dennis Lighthart, Pat Troiani, Tony Feathers, and Anda Styler. Expect to find limited-edition prints by the Greenwich Workshop, Mill Pond Press, Hadley House, Somerset Publishing, and Wild Wings. If you want to view a major collection of original seascapes, this is the place. Mitchell has been framing and publishing art for more than two decades. The couple's dedication to the arts has been felt community-wide, especially in their generosity to the Dare County schools. A member of the Professional Picture Framers Association, Morales Gallery offers a wide variety of choices in custom framing. The Morales Art Gallery is open year-round.
Glenn Eure's Ghost Fleet Gallery of Fine Art
Gallery Row, 210 East Driftwood Street Nags Head
(252) 441-6584 www.angelfire.com/on2/ghostfleet Glenn and Pat Eure, owners of the Ghost Fleet Gallery, run an original art establishment that primarily features Glenn's work. A printmaker, Glenn creates in a variety of forms including etching, woodcutting, collagraphy, serigraphy, and relief carving in addition to drawing, woodcarving, and oil, acrylic, and watercolor painting. His oeuvre includes a series of collagraphs (thin collages run through a printing press) honoring Wilbur and Orville Wright's first flight. The fine-art prints, each hand-pulled by the artist, contain flight imagery from da Vinci's time to the present. Glenn specializes in large canvases that bulge out from their frames--irregular shapes that are painted in a nonobjective style. He also produces lighthearted watercolors that feature boat scenes. The Eures rotate other artists' work in the West Wing Gallery and the Second Dimension gallery located a flight up. In the off-season Eure hosts several community shows: the Icarus International Art Show in December, the Frank Stick Memorial Art Show in February, and a county public school art show. Poetry readings also are held year-round at the gallery (see our Annual
Events chapter). The Ghost Fleet Gallery is open year-round. Hours are cut back some in January and February.
Jewelry by Gail
Gallery Row, 207 Driftwood Street Nags Head
(252) 441-5387
www.jewelrybygail.com Gail Kowalski is a designer-goldsmith who has won national recognition for her creations in precious metals and stones. Most of the jewelry designed and made here falls into the "wearable art" category. Check out Selections by Gail, a department of very high-quality but moderately priced handmade jewelry from all over the world. Kowalski personally selects each piece exhibited here. The "Charming Lights" sterling and gold lighthouse jewelry collection is a favorite. Images of the four local lighthouses are fashioned into earrings, pendants, and charms. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday and is closed in January.
Anna Gartrell's Art & Photography By the Sea
NC 12, MP 10, Nags Head
(252) 480-0578 Gartrell's artistry is evident in her expressive watercolors and photography. A deeply spiritual woman, Gartrell said she revels in "God's explosive beauty frozen forever for you." Examine her series of jeweled and crystal wave photos and her depictions of wild storms, sunrises and sunsets, ducks, dunes, wild stallions, lighthouses, crystal flounders, and amazing sea angels. Take a bit of Outer Banks brightness home with you. The gallery is open daily, but hours are flexible. The owner posts a note on the door every day with the day's operating hours.
Seaside Art Gallery
NC 12, MP 11, Nags Head
(252) 441-5418
www.seasideart.com Original etchings and lithographs by Picasso, Whistler, Rembrandt, and Renoir are among the thousands of original works of art on display at Seaside Art Gallery. Sculptures, paintings, drawings, Indian pottery, fine porcelains, Mexican silver jewelry (including the work of William Spratling), seascapes, and animation art from Disney and Warner Brothers are spread throughout numerous rooms in this sprawling gallery. Seaside is a Gold Circle dealer for Disney Classic Figurines. Prints by David Hunter are meticulously rendered and range from biblical portraiture to peaceful coastal scenes. The gallery hosts several competitions annually, including an International Miniature Art Show (see the May listings in our Annual Events chapter) and the Icarus International Art Show. Printmaking workshops are held here each year by David Hunter. The gallery is open year-round.
Yellowhouse Gallery and Annex
NC 12, MP 11, Nags Head
(252) 441-6928
www.yellowhousegallery.com Yellowhouse Gallery houses one of North Carolina's largest collections of antique prints and maps. Thousands of original old etchings, lithographs, and engravings are organized for browsing in several rooms of one of Nags Head's older beach cottages. Established in 1969, the gallery features Civil War prints and maps; prints of botanicals, fish, shells, and birds; and old views and antique maps and charts of the Outer Banks. Yellowhouse Gallery also offers a huge selection of decorative and fine-art prints and posters as well as souvenir pictures and maps of the Outer Banks. If the picture you want is not in stock, Uncle Jack, the proprietor, will order it for you.
Silver Bonsai Gallery
905 US 64/264, Manteo
(252) 475-1413
www.silverbonsai.com Silver Bonsai Gallery, nestled in one of the island's original homes, is a distinctive art gallery. Owners Ben and Kathryn Stewart, both metalsmiths and bonsai artists, sell their own creations here, as well as the works of other artists, and can often be
seen at work in the studio at the back of
the gallery. The Stewarts create simple yet
elegant silver and gold jewelry and sculpture and design special pieces upon
request. The gallery sells a broad range of
fine art by local artists, including paintings, wood, glass, sculpture, quilts, and
more. Silver Bonsai is open seven days a
week, but closes for the month of January.
Wanchese Pottery
107 Fernando Street, Manteo
(252) 473-2099
Customers can watch local potters Bonnie
and Bob Morrill at work in their studio in
downtown Manteo. This shop is known for
its beautiful, useful art graced with delicate, lead-free glazes. One savvy Insider
bought a handsome mug here that holds
a generous amount of coffee, sits easily
without wobbling, and has an exquisite
glaze that turns a morning routine into an
artistic awakening. Choose dinnerware, oil
lamps, hummingbird feeders, mugs, bowls,
and pitchers among other items. The shop
also features some handmade baskets and
fresh cooking herbs. Wanchese Pottery is open all year.
Winter hours are 1:00 to 5:00 P.M.Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Sea and Sounds Gallery
104 Sir Walter Raleigh Street, Manteo
(252) 473-5558
www.darearts.org
Sea and Sounds Gallery is the gallery space
for the Dare County Arts Council. The
council holds monthly shows in this space,
including group shows, competitions, and
individual shows. Receptions for each show,
held on Sunday afternoon, offer a chance
to meet the artists. The gallery has a bin of
unframed works of art for sale. This is also
the DCAC office, so stop by if you want any
arts-related information.
Nancyware Pottery
402 Queen Elizabeth Street, Manteo
(252) 473-9400
www.nancywarepottery.com
Early Christmas shoppers love a summer
outdoor art show. The New World Festival of the Arts in Manteo in August welcomes 80 artists from the Outer Banks
and all along the East Coast. You'll find
pottery, paintings, metalwork, photography, basketry, painted tiles, and so much
more. This show is held midweek. For
more information, see our Annual Eventschapter. This is the pottery studio of artist Nancy
Hase. The potter's wheel is on display and
you can see her work from time to time.
She also offers classes on the wheel. In this
year-round shop you'll find Nancy's pottery,
jewelry, and tile work. The pottery is high-
fire functional stoneware that is dishwasher,
microwave, and oven safe. The variety of
kitchen items, including deep-dish fluted
pie plates, colanders, and three-piece child
dining sets, can be personalized, as can the
vases, dishes, and spoon rests.
Roanoke Island Festival Park Art Gallery
Manteo
(252) 475-1506
www.roanokeisland.com
Roanoke Island Festival Park's Art Gallery
is the finest arts exhibition space on the
Outer Banks. The gallery is vast and
uncluttered, allowing much room for
appreciating the works of art hanging in
the exhibitions. Gallery shows change
monthly, featuring the works of an individual artist or sometimes groups of artists.
In June 2004 the North Carolina Penland
School of Crafts had a show representing
all of North Carolina with both crafts and
arts. The Priceless Pieces Past & Present
Quilt Extravaganza is a popular show, held
every year in March with dozens of quilts
made or owned by locals. The Dare
County Arts Council's Mollie Fearing Art
Show is another popular show held here.
Each monthly show has an opening
reception on a Sunday afternoon.
Roanoke Island Festival Park is closed in
January.
Hubby Bliven, Wildlife Art
543 Ananias Dare Street, Roanoke Island
(252) 473-2632
Bliven runs a full-service frame shop and
wildlife art gallery featuring his own work.
He also operates a museum on the premises that includes Civil War, World War I,
World War II, and Native American artifacts. Bliven's shop is the place to go if
you're looking for lighthouse photos that
include all eight North Carolina sentinels
framed together or as individual prints. This
group includes the Prices's Creek lighthouse in Southport, a rare find. Bliven is
very fortunate to have been given access
to photograph this structure on private
property. His shop is open year-round.
Nick-E Stained Glass
813 Old Wharf Road, Wanchese
(252) 473-5036
This is the stained-glass studio of Ellinor
and Robert Nick. The Nicks create their
works of art here and hold demonstrations and classes in stained glass. The
Nicks also sell stained-glass supplies and
tools. If you want to see how the work is
done, commission a piece, or talk with the
artists, stop by this location. If you want to
buy their stained-glass creations, go to
their gallery at the Dare Shops in Nags
Head.
Gaskins Gallery
NC 12, Avon
(252) 995-6617
www.gaskinsgallery.com
The Gaskins Gallery focuses on original
local art and custom framing. Artists and
owners Denise and Elizabeth Gaskins feature exclusively original family art, including their own watercolors and those of
their octogenarian grandmother, who
began painting several years ago. The
paintings generally are coastal scenes or
florals. You'll also find pottery, decorator
prints, and posters. The Gaskins Gallery is
open year-round.
Browning Artworks
NC 12, Frisco
(252) 995-5538
www.browningartworks.com
This fine-art and craft gallery, which
opened in 1984, is reputed for showcasing
top-notch North Carolina crafters, including many local artists. Browning also
carries the work of 12 to 15 out-of-state
artists who are considered exceptional
exceptions to its strongly stated "North
Carolina-only" rule. The collection includes
the creations of 200 artisans who make
stained and blown glass, weavings, porcelains, pottery, copper work, forged
wrought-iron work, and stoneware. Wood-
turners, many of whom use North Carolina
woods, have a variety of crafts showcased
here. Browning's jewelry selections are
breathtaking, incorporating a variety of
colorful semiprecious stones to form necklaces, rings, pins, bracelets, and earrings.
Several dozen jewelry designers are displayed, including the innovative and colorful creations of Outer Banker Austin Cake. The gallery also exhibits paintings and
prints, including an exclusive collection of
Linda Browning's watercolor skyscapes as
well as the color photography of Ray
Matthews and Michael Halminski. Both
photographers have a passion for the
coastal scene. Antique tribal weavings by
Majid are a beautiful attraction. Featured
artists hold demonstrations on the gallery
deck. Call for a schedule. Browning Artworks is open March
through December.
Indian Town Gallery and Gifts
NC 12, Frisco
(252) 995-5181
Nestled in the woods in Frisco, Indian
Town represents artists from local villages.
Many of the paintings have an Outer Banks
theme. The offshore-fishing theme paintings are stunning. The gallery also features
pottery, jewelry, chimes, cards, gifts, lighthouses, and jewelry. Artist Wayne Fulcher
is often at work in the store.
Red Drum Pottery
NC 12, Frisco
(252) 995-5757
Accomplished potters Rhonda Bates and
Wes Lassiter work in this studio, and you
can watch them as they turn their wonderful creations at the wheel. These are well-
crafted pieces, whether they are intended
for functional or decorative use. It's definitely worth a stop to see their bowls,
pitchers, vases, vessels, platters, teakettles,
miniatures, and fabulous fish- and crab-
imprinted hanging wall tiles. Do you raku?
Come try it in the early evening-call for an
updated schedule. The gallery is open
seven days a week year-round.
Sandy Bay Gallery
NC 12, Hatteras Village
(252) 986-1338
This gallery features original fine art and
crafts with an emphasis on Outer Banks
artists. Sandy Bay is filled with original
watercolor and acrylic paintings and photography, as well as crafts by potters, jewelers, glass artisans, and paper, wood,
stained-glass, and fiber artists. The hand-
carved decorative waterfowl, including
egrets, blue herons, sandpipers, and dowitchers, have grace and personality. Glass
boxes with silver trim by Mary Anne feature a geometric collage of colored and
clear glass reminiscent of Mondrian's
paintings. You also can choose from a
selection of prints. The gallery is open
March through Christmas Eve.
Deepwater Pottery
School Road, Ocracoke
(252) 928-7472
www.deepwaterpottery.com
Artistic and functional stoneware and raku
pottery are made here. You can choose
from functional dining and kitchenware
and decorative raku pottery with copper
glazes. The shop carries an assortment of
gifts; see our Shopping chapter for more
details. It's open seasonally, so call ahead.
Village Craftsmen
Howard Street, Ocracoke
(252) 928-5541, (800) 648-9743
The artwork in this well-known gallery
includes North Carolina pottery, handmade wooden boxes, jewelry, and other
original items. The focus is on excellent
craftsmanship and variety. Owner Philip
Howard also sells his pen-and-ink and
watercolor prints here. See our Shoppingchapter for more about this local landmark, open year-round except the month
of January.
Island Artworks
British Cemetery Road, Ocracoke
(252) 928-3892
Owner-artist Kathleen O'Neal has lived on
Ocracoke for more than 25 years. "Art
jewelry" aptly describes most of the finds
here. O'Neal does all the copper enameling and silver- and goldsmithing work herself. The gallery also features local and
North Carolina artwork such as large,
contemporary-style watercolors of island
scenes by Debbie Wells and the fused
glass work of Libby Hicks. Local photography, sculptural assemblages created by
O'Neal, glass art, hand-carved wooden
boxes, and mixed-media art are just some
of the exciting discoveries at Island
Artworks. It's a real fine-art experience.
The shop is open from mid-March until
Christmas.
Over the Moon
British Cemetery Road, Ocracoke
(252) 928-3555
Over the Moon features handmade contemporary crafts from 150 artists across the
nation. Shop for jewelry, porcelain, and
Brian Andreas's StoryPeople-books, prints,
and sculptures adorned with insightful sayings. See our Shopping chapter for other
items found here. Over the Moon is open
from Easter through Thanksgiving.
Heart's Desire
Back Road, Ocracoke
(252) 928-4104
This shop features a variety of fine crafts,
including pottery, glass works, jewelry, folk
art, copper works, and beach glass creations. Heart's Desire is open April
through December.
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