My Peony in a Vase, acrylic by Lynn Golitz, 36×36
Sunset River Gallery hosts Golitz show of acrylics and pottery; reception July 14
Posted in Art, Art, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged art, events, North Carolina, South Carolina
Moveable Feast for July
Tues., July 11 ~ Bonnie Kistler (Her, Too) at Inlet Affairs ($35)
(4024 US-17 Business, Murrells Inlet, SC 29576)
efending an accused rapist, a high-powered lawyer learns firsthand the terrible truth about
her client … a discovery that propels her on a quest for revenge in this addictively readable
thriller from the author of The Cage. A former trial lawyer, Bonnie Kistler spent her career
in private practice with major law firms and successfully tried cases in federal and state
courts across the country, as well as teaching writing skills to other lawyers and lecturing
frequently to professional organizations and industry groups.
*Tues., July 18 ~ T.I. Lowe (Indigo Isle) at Hopsewee Plantation ($45)
(494 Hopsewee Rd, Georgetown, SC 29440)
From the author of the breakout Southern fiction bestseller Under the Magnolias comes a story
of hanging on and letting go, of redemption and reconciliation. Sonny Bates left South
Carolina fifteen years ago and never looked back. Now she’s a successful Hollywood location
scout who travels the world, finding perfect places for movie shoots. Home is wherever she
lands, and between her busy schedule and dealing with her boss’s demands, she has little time
to think about the past . . . until her latest gig lands her a stone’s throw from everything she left
behind. Searching off the coast of Charleston for a secluded site to film a key scene, Sonny
wanders onto a private barrier island and encounters its reclusive owner, known by locals as
the Monster of Indigo Isle. What she finds is a man much more complex than the myth, an
exile who spends his days alone, tending his fields of indigo, then making indigo dye―and he
has no interest in serving the intrusive needs of a film company or yielding to Sonny’s determined curiosity. Until a hurricane makes landfall, stranding them together. After a Southern sampler lunch, you will be treated to a demonstration of indigo dye-making, with additional tour options.
Eliza Knight (Starring Adele Astaire) at Pawleys Plantation ($35) WED., July 26
(70 Tanglewood Drive, Pawleys Island, SC, 29585)
Eliza Knight is an award-winning, USA Today and international bestselling author. Eliza is
an avid history buff, and true crime obsessed. Her love of history began as a young girl
when she traipsed the halls of Versailles. She is a member of the Historical Novel Society
and Novelists, Inc., the creator of the popular historical blog, History Undressed, a co-host
on the History, Books and Wine podcast and a co-host for the true crime podcast, Crime
Feast. Eliza’s new story is full of glitz and glam as she delves into the life of Adele Astaire,
a spirited and talented woman who served up smiles and love both on and off the stage—
with and without her also famous brother Fred Astaire—along with a determined young
dancer with rags-to-riches dreams.
Posted in Events, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged authors, events, Myrtle Beach area, South Carolina
Premier Nashville blues guitarist to play Cape Fear, Little River
Nashville blues artist Rickey Godfrey is making a long-awaited return to coastal Carolina. On Thursday, June 29, the accomplished guitarist will be at Duck’s Beach Club, 229 Main St., North Myrtle Beach, SC, performing with Leroy Harper, Jr. & Friends. On Friday, June 30, fans will find him at iconic blues club The Rusty Nail in Wilmington, NC, with two nationally known musicians – Al Payson on bass and David Toma on drums. The show begins at 8 p.m. Cover charge is $10.
Godfrey, who has been blind since birth, is best known for his mastery on the Telecaster, but he is also featured on lead vocals and keyboard. The Greenville, SC native was a founding member of Garfeel Ruff, who released an album on Capital Records and scored the movie soundtrack for “The Hitter.” In 2013, Godfrey represented Nashville as a crowd-pleasing semi-finalist at the International Blues Competition in Memphis, TN.
He has also had several major radio hits in the Carolina beach and shag market, winning awards for both CD and group of the year. In May of 2021, he received the Chocolate Thunder Music Award in Greenville, SC. In April 2023, he was inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame. He has been a sideman with Clifford Curry, Sam Moore, Rufus Thomas, Donna Fargo, Cash McCall, Billy Preston, Junior Walker, Johnny Neel, and many more.
Godfrey has been featured in numerous festivals, including the Lowcountry Blues Bash, Cape Fear Blues Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival (with Chocolate Thunder), and Macon, Georgia’s GABBA Fest.
About the Cape Fear Blues Festival, which has featured Godfrey twice, the artist says, “I love playing this festival, especially at The Rusty Nail. The fans are real music lovers, and the place has a great sound to it! And these two guys I’m playing with this week are super!”
Bassist Al Payson, from the outskirts of New York City, moved to eastern North Carolina several years ago. He started working with Jose Feliciano in 1997 and played his live shows from 2008 to 2015.He has also toured with the Burr Johnson Band and currently performs with the Rhythm Bones – well known to fans of the Rusty Nail.
Drummer David Toma is a Charleston, SC native and a regular in the west Texas blues scene. He has performed with Anson Funderburgh, Kenny Neal, Coastline Band and Cory Luetjen & the Traveling Blues Band. Also, a former member of the Rhythm Bones, he recently formed the 69 Ramblers, currently touring the southeast.
More information about Rickey Godfrey can be found on his Facebook page (Rickey Gulliver Godfrey). The Rusty Nail is located at 1310 S. 5th Avenue, Wilmington, NC; telephone number is 910-251-1888. The address for Star Tavern is 4310 McCorsley Avenue, Little River, SC. Telephone: 843-281-0685.
Posted in Music, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged events, music, Myrtle Beach area, South Carolina
The Moveable Feast during June
Tues., June 6 ~ Marie Bostwick (Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly) at 21 Main ($35)
(719 North Beach Boulevard, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582)
Following the success of The Restoration of Celia Fairchild, Marie Bostwick brings us Esme Cahill Fails
Spectacularly – a novel about family, friendship, and finding your true path in life. Esme Cahill thinks she has failed spectacularly: fired from her New York City publishing job, divorced from her husband, and possessing little more than a broken-down car and a pile of unfinished manuscripts, she drives home to Asheville at the request of her late grandmother, Adele, who had begged her, just before she died, to return to the place she grew up. There she discovers the once-charming lakeside retreat run by her family is sliding toward financial ruin, so with the help of her grandfather, George; estranged mother, Robyn; and a travelling chef Dawes (maker of the world’s best grilled cheese sandwich) they set to work. In the attic, Esme unearths a trove of museum-worthy art quilts, sewn by Adele. Piecing together the inspiration behind them, Esme discovers a forgotten chapter in her family history and her grandmother’s untold story, that of a gifted artist who never received her due. This is an always-emotional, sometimes humorous, very human novel of what it means to be family—the ties that bind us together and the unintentional hurts that can rend us apart. And, along the way, Esme learns that failure can be the
first step toward the life you’re meant to find.
Tues., June 13 ~ To be announced
Mon., June 19 ~ Katherine Reay (A Shadow in Moscow) at Litchfield Country Club ($35)
(619 Country Club Drive, Pawleys Island 29585)
Award-winning, bestselling author of The London House, The Printed Letter Bookshop, Dear Mr. Knightly, and others with echoes from the days of Jane and Emily, Chicago-based Reay brings her love of books and history to her stories. In her new release, A Shadow in Moscow, “Reay builds an immersive world behind the iron curtain, full of competing loyalties and a constant, chilling sense of paranoia. Readers will be enthralled” (Publisher’s Weekly). A betrayal at the highest level risks the lives of two courageous female spies: M16’s best Soviet spy Ingrid Bauer and the CIA’s newest Moscow recruit Anya Kadinova. Alternating between Ingrid’s 1950s and Anya’s 1980s points of view, the past catches up to the present when an unprecedented act of treachery in 1985 threatens all undercover agents operating with the Soviet Union, and both women find themselves in a race against time and KGB.
Tues., June 27 ~ Laurie Larsen et al. (Charleston Light) at Pawleys Tap & Pour ($35)
(13089 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island 29585)
A collection of faith-filled novellas all inspired by Charleston Light, the wonderfully awkward-looking
lighthouse that sits on the shore of Sullivan’s Island, SC. The stories range from sweet romance to time
travel to fantasy to a modern retelling of a beloved fairy tale. You will definitely find something you
love on these pages! Eight Lowcountry authors contribute novellas, and all proceeds on the sales of this
book go to Sanctuary of Unborn Life (SOUL) of Charleston. Lighthouse of the Fireflies by Kelsey R
Budd; Second Time Lighthouse Love by Melissa Henderson; Looks Aren’t Everything, a Modern Day
Retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic Fairytale, The Ugly Duckling, by Laurie Larsen;
Hosanna’s Light, by Dianne Miley; Shattered Darkness, by Laurie Ingram Sibley; The Gold Note, by
Christina Sinisi; Homecoming, by Jody Stallings; Following His Plans, by Annette Wiley.
Luncheons with exciting authors, artists, musicians & historians at area eateries
For 25 years, the Moveable Feast, founded and managed by Linda Ketron, has been held at local restaurants throughout the year on Fridays (and some Tuesdays). Now, the Moveable Feasts are held on Tuesdays, unless the presenter or the preferred venue is unavailable. The presentation precedes the meal. For each Feast, the chef prepares a special menu, typically unavailable during the restaurant’s public hours. Food allergies are accommodated with advance notice; vegetarian option always available. Individuals, couples, friends, book clubs, and other small groups are assigned table seating. We will call to confirm your reservation 10 days prior to the event. *Each feast is $35 (or three for $100 paid in advance), unless additional expenses dictate a higher fee. The three-fer could be for future feasts, or for three guests at a single feast. After lunch, authors will adjourn to My Sister’s Books (13057 Ocean Hwy # C) to sign stock and chat with fans.
Posted in Books, Events, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged authors, events, Myrtle Beach area, South Carolina
Military Appreciation Events Update and Memorial Day Weekend Outlook
Myrtle Beach’s weather forecast for Memorial Day Weekend has worsened. The National Weather Service weather reports call for inches of rain and high wind gusts. To respond to potential flooding and emergencies, Ocean Rescue equipment and first responders will be staged throughout the city. Unless conditions improve, the ocean will be closed to swimmers, with double red flags posted along the beaches.
Myrtle Beach’s Military Appreciation Days Parade and Family Picnic are cancelled (Saturday, May 27). However, the Vietnam Traveling Memorial Wall will be available as scheduled throughout the weekend near Crabtree Memorial Gym. The official opening ceremony also will occur as scheduled. As of today, the fourth annual Veterans Victory Walk at Grand Park is still planned for 6:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Jack Platt Veterans Walk will be on Ocean Boulevard at 9:00 a.m. this Monday. The walk is from 16th Avenue North to the former Pavilion site, where the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association will conduct the Battlefield Cross.
The traditional Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony is at 11:00 a.m., Monday, May 29, in Ballroom ABC at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Then, enjoy the documentary movie at 2:00 p.m. at Grand 14 Cinemas at The Market Common.
Posted in Events, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged events, Memorial Day, Myrtle Beach area, South Carolina, tourist towns, updates
Sunset River Gallery presents Hearts + Arts fundraiser for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare on June 2
Sunset River Gallery in Calabash, NC will host Hearts + Arts, the gallery’s first annual fundraiser, on June 2 from 5 – 7 p.m. This year’s beneficiary is Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, the area’s largest nonprofit provider of hospice, palliative, and grief care covering Brunswick, New Hanover, Columbus, Pender, Onslow, Robeson, Bladen, and Duplin Counties in North Carolina; and Horry, Georgetown, and Marion Counties in South Carolina.
Tickets are $20 per person. The evening will include entertainment by the AfterHours jazz ensemble, heavy hors d’oeuvres by local chef Philip Laura, complimentary wine bar and a fine art silent auction. One hundred percent of ticket and auction sales will go to Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.
Fine art pieces for the silent auction include works by some of the area’s most acclaimed artists. Marcus McClanahan’s “Two Boats” is an oil painting on board, which demonstrates McClanahan’s signature brushstrokes and broken color. Janet B. Sessoms, known for her mastery of light and shadow also donated an oil painting, “Toes in the Sand II.” The gallery’s former owner Ginny Lassiter donated a pair of her seemingly spontaneous acrylic abstracts titled “Day at the Beach I and II.” Raleigh, NC artist Chantal Tomiello’s offering is “La Vie En Rose,” a large acrylic still life in which she has deconstructed her realistic subject into abstraction. Ruth Cox, who teaches both acrylic and oil at the gallery, has donated her acrylic painting “Peaceful Moment” for the event. Rich Flanegan’s, “Dusk on the Coast,” is oil on canvas and depicts a coastal scene resplendent with white capped waves and moving clouds. From stained glass artists Diane Flanegan comes a 20- x 20-inch brilliantly colored floral panel. Also up for auction is a generous $1,000 gift certificate for a photo session with Vann Fine Art Portraits of Elizabethtown, NC.
Pottery lovers will not be disappointed. The grouping includes a surface-carved 15-inch cobalt platter from Jeffcoat Pottery. This came from the collection of Tonda Jeffcoat, whose husband and pottery-making partner Joe passed away in 2020. Wilmington, NC clay artist Brian Evans donated a tall (23-inch) faceted vessel for the auction. Betsy Sellers, whose father was served by Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, created her piece, “Remembering Daddy” in clay, especially for this event.
Tickets are available through the gallery, which is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW in Calabash, NC. Checks and cash are requested. For further information, call the gallery at 910.575.5999 or visit the website: sunsetrivergallery.com. Updates and images of the Fine Art Silent Auction pieces may be found on the gallery’s Facebook page.
The gallery wishes to thank the event’s generous sponsors: Gold: Victoria’s Ragpatch, Calabash Creamery; Silver: Studio 8, Mike & Deb Hutchinson, Ginny & Joe Lassiter, Roseann Cutrone & Larry Johnson; Bronze: Crissy & Trey Maynard, Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage; Family: The Yardbird Emporium, Thomas Seashore Drugs
Posted in Art, Events, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged art, events, Myrtle Beach area, North Carolina, South Carolina
ArtFields
A quick walk through downtown Lake City for ArtFields 2023.
Studio 8 art show opens in Calabash
Sunset River Gallery announces that Diversity by Studio 8 will open Monday, May 22 and run through
Saturday, July 1. A reception to meet the artists is set for Friday, June 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Studio 8 is a group of artists who paint together weekly at Sunset River Gallery. It includes Judi Moore, Brenda Riggins, Vicki Neilon, Linda Karaskevicus, Donn McCrary, Rachel Sunnell, Barbara Kohn, and Linda Hester. Studio 8 formed early in 2020, evolving from another painting group at the gallery.
The show is a selection of new works in various styles and media. The pieces range from conceptual to
traditional to contemporary. Viewers will see vibrant acrylic landscapes by Sunnell. She also created a
conceptual piece for the show, which is titled “Who Do I Reflect?” It features a series of mirrors with
faces superimposed on them. Riggins, who is known for her portraiture in watercolor, has also created a
number of acrylic coastal scenes.
Judi Moore is working large for this show and will be showing a 36” by 36” hydrangea painting. Barbara
Kohn began painting with watercolor, then switched to oil, and now loves the immediacy of soft pastels.
Vicki Neilon works in both watercolor and acrylic, and currently enjoys combining abstract with
representational, resulting in her distinctive stylized images. Linda Hester also paints in both acrylic and
watercolor. She says, “I absolutely love the peace and calm that comes when I am working on a painting.
Painting has allowed me to see my environment in a totally new way. It’s a joy to see ideas come to life
on paper or canvas.” Linda Karaskevicus has recently found a passion for painting Carolina coastal
scenes. She says acrylics allow her to work more quickly, resulting in a spontaneous brush or painting
knife application. Her painting style is impressionistic realism.
Individually speaking, the talents of this group are impressive. Collectively, the artists pull from each
other’s energy, humor, and love for diverse art styles. Says McCrary, who is known for his use of vibrant
colors and simple designs and is the only male in the group, “These girls don’t hold back! Their critiques
are direct and helpful.”
A strong supporter of both the Sunset River Gallery and the community, Studio 8 recently stepped up as
a major sponsor for the Hearts + Arts fundraiser for Lower Cape Fear LifeCare, which will be held at the
gallery on June 2.
About Sunset River Marketplace
Located in coastal Brunswick County, Sunset River Gallery caters to both area visitors and a growing
local community of full-time residents seeking fine art for their homes and businesses. Featuring work
by over 100 fine North and South Carolina artists, the gallery is well known in the area for its collection
of oil paintings, watermedia, pastels, photography, hand-blown glass, fused glass, pottery, and clay
sculptures, turned and carved wood, unique home décor items and artisan jewelry.
A selection of 20th century art features investment-grade fine and modern art, primarily impressionist
and abstract. Artists represented include Wolf Kahn, Emile Gruppè, Angel Botello, Raimonds Staprans,
Ed Mell, Vladimir Cora, Moses Soyer, Raphael Soyer, Tadashi Asoma, Hunt Slonem, Ida Kohlmeyer, Rolph
Scarlett, Jean Xceron, folk artist Mose Tolliver, and sculptors Glenna Goodacre and Milton Hebald.
There are two onsite kilns and five wheels used by the gallery’s pottery students. Art classes and
workshops are currently being offered on a limited basis. Current class listings are on the gallery website, with frequent updates on the gallery Facebook page.
The gallery address is: 10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467. Hours are Monday – Saturday, 11
a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, call 910.575.5999 or visit the website at sunsetrivergallery.com.
Daily updates are available on the gallery’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The FrameCenter, located within the gallery, is open Wednesday through Friday, 12 noon – 5 p.m. and
by appointment. Call master framer Louis Aliotta directly at 910.368.7351.
Posted in Art, Events, Myrtle Beach's Best
Tagged art, events, Myrtle Beach area, North Carolina, South Carolina
Gallery to present Setting the Mood, a group show of large format artworks
Sunset River Gallery in Calabash, NC will present a group show titled Setting the
Mood, running through Saturday, May 13. The exhibition will feature large format art pieces ranging from 30 by 30 inches to 48 by 60 inches.
Artist Connie Winters, Thinking About Fishing, oil, 24 x 48
Gallery director Samantha Spalti said, “We’ve had a growing number of clients
asking for large pieces to help them set the mood for a room, so this show is in
direct response to that. A large painting is often a centerpiece – above a sofa,
over a dining room table, anchoring a gallery wall. Indeed, it sets the mood. And
with our 10,000 square foot space of fine regional art, Sunset River Gallery is in a
unique position to showcase that art. The selection in this show offers a range of
both media and style, all to help our clients ‘set the mood.’”
Artist Rich Flanagan, Solitary Season, oil 40 x 30
Featured in the show are works by fine regional oil painters, Connie Winters, Pat
Puckett, Ruth Cox, Rich Flanagan, Nancy McClure, Bayou Gray, Mary Welch
Austin, Nancy Hughes Miller, Carol Iglesias; and acrylic artists, Ginny Lassiter,
Cristiana Rioli, Roberta Rotunda, and Sterling Edwards.
Artist Sterling Edwards, Ascribed, acrylic,38 x 50
Spalti adds, “The artists in the show represent a wonderful mix of style and genre
– representational to abstract, traditional to contemporary. We think visitors will
love this exhibit.”
Artist Pat Puckett, Palmettos Along the Bank, oil, 24 x 48
About Sunset River Marketplace
Located in coastal Brunswick County, Sunset River Gallery caters to both area
visitors and a growing local community of full-time residents seeking fine art for
their homes and businesses. Featuring work by over 100 fine North and South
Carolina artists, the gallery is well known in the area for its collection of oil
paintings, watermedia, pastels, photography, hand-blown glass, fused glass,
pottery, and clay sculptures, turned and carved wood, unique home décor items
and artisan jewelry.
There are two onsite kilns and five wheels used by the gallery’s pottery students.
Art classes and workshops are currently being offered on a limited basis. Current
class listings are on the gallery website, with frequent updates on the gallery
Facebook page.
The gallery address is: 10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467. Hours are
Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information, call 910.575.5999 or
visit the website at sunsetrivergallery.com. Daily updates are available on the
gallery’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
The FrameCenter, located within the gallery, is open Wednesday through Friday,
12 noon – 5 p.m. and by appointment. Call master framer Louis Aliotta directly at
910.368.7351.
Sea Turtle Nesting Season
The season opens May 1. Sea turtles are federally protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Turtle Protection Act. The law states that “no person may take, possess, disturb, mutilate, destroy, cause to be destroyed, sell, offer for sale, transfer, molest or harass any marine sea turtle or its nests or eggs at any times.” If you see a sea turtle in the ocean or on the beach, stay away from it. Turtle hatchlings should not be picked up and placed in the ocean, as they need to crawl on their own to set their navigational compass and increase their chance of survival. Do not harm, harass, pick up, ride, straddle, restrain, jump over, injure, kill or otherwise disturb sea turtles. Feeding or touching turtles in any way, including shining a light on them, is considered a disturbance. Federal penalties for disturbing sea turtles include jail time and fines up to $15,000 for each offense, with the maximum federal fine for harming a threatened species being $25,000.
Beachgoers, stay away from sand dunes, keep dogs on leashes at all times, put all trash and recyclables in solid waste containers, fill in beach holes and smash sand castles before leaving each day. Fireworks, lights, flash photography, and noise will disturb sea turtles! Disturbances can result in “false crawl,” meaning the mother returned to the ocean without leaving hatchlings on the beach. If you spot nesting activity or a sick, injured, dead or disturbed turtle or nest, call South Carolina’s Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-922-5431. If you see someone disturbing or harming a sea turtle or nest, call the Police Department for immediate assistance.