"Love of the Arts Show" this weekend

Sneads Ferry may be a small village and February may be a short month, but somehow both are able to handle all of the activity going on at Thurston Art Gallery for the next four weeks.

The gallery, owned by Sherry Thurston, will be hosting “Love of the Arts Show” Open House on February 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. And from now until the end of February, every inch of wall space in the gallery will be filled with the show’s paintings and visual arts created by artists known locally, regionally and nationally.

Their talents will not only be on display, but on sale. Here is a list of the artists and the art that you could see and even take home with you (the art that is).

Gordon Adams, Visual Artist

He has been working at Camp Lejeune boiler plants for 35 years. He has always liked to draw, and says when he kept seeing the same scenes every day, things just clicked. A particular scene would come to his mind, and he would rough-sketch it.

Other scenes he has drawn onsite, or from photographs taken at various places, and he renders his final drawings in pen-and-ink.

Sandra Ervin Adams, Poet

Although from Jacksonville, she shopped for school clothes in New Bern with her mother and grandmother when she was a child. She has always felt drawn to the old town.

Three years ago, she reconnected with the area, and she found joy sitting on a bench at Union Point Park, writing poems over a two-year-period.

Later, she discovered that her great-grandmother's family once moved to New Bern so the children could attend New Bern Academy, and they lived near the Neuse River.

She enjoys writing free verse, which she says, is the joy of her heart.

Pat Crowder, Artist

If acrylic painting suits your fancy, be sure and see “Face Off” and “Journey’s End” by Pat Crowder.

Briggitta Dascal, Artist

Dascal was born and educated in the Netherlands and now lives in Cary, N.C. with her husband and three grown sons. She studied under Matt Kingsley, Nell Chadwick and Luana Winner. At present she studies with Nancy Dolce in an active artist group in Raleigh. She participated in many workshops. Dascal has painted with oils for more than 20 years, and she mostly enjoys doing landscapes and portraits.

Judy Dunson, Watercolor

Judy Dunson began watercolor painting in 1995. She studied under Michael Brown, Roxanne Alexander and currently studies with Nancy Dolce. She has taken workshops with Tom Jones, Sterling Edwards, Tom Lynch and Judy Crane.

Judy is a classical guitar teacher at her alma mater, Meredith College, in Raleigh, NC. Where she focuses on using the Suzuki Method of teaching the young.

John Echo, Artist and Photographer

John K Echo is an artist and photographer. He is a retired production artist from a large company. Since moving to N.C., he has been very active in both fields,  a member of the Hampstead Art League and the Wilmington Art Association.

Bev Green, Artist

Topsail Islander Bev Green is a self-taught artist who works primarily in acrylics on a variety of surfaces, canvas, driftwood, oars and other nautical items. Her art follows a nautical theme, following her lifestyle for many years.

Colleen Hussion, Woodworking

Colleen has been doing woodworking for 12 years. Each piece of her artwork is uniquely composed. She is a subscriber of the "green" movement in that a lot of her woods have been reclaimed from various sources. Some times it is purchase but more often it has been "saved" for the trash bin or dump or perhaps a piece of furniture has a new life. Very little is thrown away, many of the smaller pieces are used to embellish the different projects. No piece is the same due to the fact that the project fits the wood.

Patsy Lain, Poet from Ol’ Timers’ Tales

Barbara Mullins, Artist

20-year Sneads Ferry resident takes her free moments away from teaching art to, well, make art! Every day items inspire her to make works out of pastels, watercolors and acrylics. She paints what inspires her: “ordinary objects looking beautiful, and things that glow in the morning, evening or lamp light.”

Ruth Ogle, Artist

Also displaying watercolors at the gallery will be Raleigh native Ruth Ogle.

Roz Porter, Artist

Porter has spent her adult life married to and following a career Army Officer around on his various tours. Thanks to her mother, who thought her to observe, and a lot of traveling, she came into the world of art. Collage is a new thing for me. I think I will explore it more.

Lynn Radford, Watercolor

Lynn is a gifted artist who takes up whichever medium suits her current inspiration and handles them all with aplomb. Lynne’s studio Arts- Amore- A is located in Sneads Ferry a serene fishing village near Topsail Island in beautiful NC. You may con tact Lynn by lynnradfordartist@yahoo.com or by phone at 910-467-3677.

Will Revo, Musician

The show wouldn’t be complete without art for the ears; that is where Will Revo comes in. Will Revo and his backing band, consisting of his wife and friends, will be hitting the stage at the Love of the Arts Show at 6:15. He is scheduled to play for an hour, but it’s not unusual for him to play two.

For more info on the February events at the Thurston Art Gallery call Sherry Thurston at 910 526-9988. Thurston Art Gallery is located at 328 Peru Road in Sneads Ferry and open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week, Saturdays by appointment and random times.