June 1 – 30 Celebration Includes Free Art Demos, Drawings for Artwork, Live Music
Pottery by mother-daughter team Annette Keesee and Laurel Herbet will be featured in the gallery’s special Ten-Year Anniversary Show that runs through Saturday, June 30. (Photo Louis Aliotta)
On June 1 Sunset River Marketplace art gallery will mark ten years of operation at the same location in the historic fishing village located an eighth of a mile from the N.C.-S.C. border. The 10,000 square-foot gallery is well known for its eclectic mix of fine art and crafts from the Carolinas.
From day one, Sunset River Marketplace has defied the stereotype of a “stuffy art gallery,” offering visitors a rich combination of whimsical and serious art in a wide range of styles and media.
Wandering through the roomy space, one finds breathtaking seascapes, sleek turned wood vessels, and high-style blown glass. They share wall space comfortably with humor-driven ceramics, outsider art, metal works and more.
Gone Swimming, photography by Louis Aliotta, one of the gallery’s free drawing prizes that will be given throughout the month.
Gallery owner Ginny Lassiter said, “We’ll be celebrating all month long with special events giveaways and a very special art show. It’s our way of saying thank you to our artists, our surrounding communities and the thousands of visitors we’ve welcomed since opening our doors in 2002. We hope our friends and neighbors will come and help us celebrate.”
Babs Ludwick’s Paradise Palm will go home with one lucky visitor to Sunset River Marketplace during the gallery’s month-long anniversary celebration
Several of the gallery’s artists have exhibited with Sunset River since 2002 and their works will be featured throughout the month in a special Tenth Anniversary Exhibition. the featured artists will be Jill Hope, Sue Marion, Elaine Bigelow, Ramona B. Bendin, Brian Evans, Ardie Praetorius, Sue Coley, Susan Dade, Judy O’Brien, Mark Hilliard, Betty Bee and the late Victor Gerloven.
Other events include a series of free artist demonstrations onsite at the Calabash gallery. Lassiter herself will kick off the celebration with an acrylics demo from 2 to 4 p.m. on June 1. Calabash potter Joe Jeffcoat will demonstrate throwing on the pottery wheel on Wednesday, June 6 from noon to 3 p.m. Pat Smelkoff will share the art of Zhostovo (Russian stroke painting) on Thursday, June 14 from noon until 3 p.m. On Wednesday, June 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., glass blower Jim Downey will demonstrate the exciting art of flame work. Additional presentations are posted on the gallery’s website (www.sunsetrivermarketplace).
A free performance by singer/songwriter Calabash Flash is scheduled for Saturday, June 9 from 2 to 3 p.m. A Creative After Hours class with jewelry designer Beth Wicker will take place on Wednesday, June 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. ($35 fee). From Monday, June 25 to Friday, June 29, the gallery is hosting a five-day Abstract Acrylics Workshop with nationally known artist Sterling Edwards (Class is full. Call for waiting list and fee.)
On Wednesday, June 6 from noon to 3 p.m., Joe Jeffcoat will demonstrate throwing pottery on the wheel. (Courtesy photo)
Celebrations also include free daily drawings for an assortment of gift certificates, original art, limited edition prints, pottery, hand-blown glass, artisan-crafted jewelry, custom-designed pillows and more. The public is encouraged to enter multiple times, but no more than once each day. Entry forms are at the gallery. In a related Facebook promotion, the gallery will award a free gift certificate to someone selected at random on the Sunset River Marketplace Art Gallery Facebook page. Participants simply “like” the page to be included.
Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (Hwy. 179), Calabash, N.C. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For a complete schedule of events and a list of artists who are donating artwork for the giveaways, visit the website: www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com. For other information, call 910-575-5999.