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Sunset River Marketplace art gallery in Calabash, N.C. will feature a group show titled The Sailing Life from July 1 through July 30, gallery owner Ginny Lassiter has announced. Exhibiting artists include Ann McCray (oil), Freeman Beard (watercolor), Sue Coley (acrylic), Richard Staat (watercolor), Ortrud Tyler (oil),  Gwen Dumas (acrylic), Ginny Lassiter (acrylic),  Bryan Krpejs (watercolor), Donn McCrary (acrylic), Louis Aliotta (photography),  Marie Kasper (acrylic), Nancy Brennand (watercolor) and Shandi Berls (clay).

Crimson Goodnight oil by Ann McCray

Wilmington, N.C. artist Ann McCray is known for her bold textural, gallery wrap canvases, many of which express the essence of sky and sea.  Originally a student of pottery, she studied art at Amarillo College in Amarillo, Texas.

Raised in the foothills of the N.C. mountains, Freeman Beard uses the traditional style of transparent watercolors. He is a signature member of the Watercolor Society of North Carolina (WSNC) as well as an associate member of the National Watercolor Society.

North Myrtle Beach, S.C. artist Sue Coley paints the local landscape. She says, “I love to paint the beach and the coastline because it is always changing, always showing me something new.”

After graduating from Ohio State with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art, award-winning artist, Richard Staat spent 35 years as a commercial artist before moving to Oa

Ginny Lassiter is a graduate of East Carolina with a major in Art. Always a creative soul, she’s a potter, she paints, she sketches and she designs fabrics. Most recently, she has studied painting abstracts with Joe DiGiulio and Sterling Edwards.

Bryan Krpejs studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he learned the art of watercolor painting, acrylics and pen and ink. He has earned several local awards, including a second place in the Silver Coast Winery Viognier label competition; along with a 2014 Merit Award and a 2012 Honorable Mention at the Waterway Art Association Spring Show.

Whether working in mixed media, water media or oil, German born Ortrud Tyler creates a rich textured surface with strong colors. Her work has been featured in Southwest Art magazine and “Exploring Color” by Neta Leland. She has also been a guest lecturer/artist at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Gwen Dumas earned her art degree at Peace College in Raleigh, N.C. She has a background in interior design as well as hand-painted furniture. She studies with Frank Pierce in Southern Pines, N.C.

Sunset Sail acrylic by Donn McCrary

After retiring from a career in architecture, Donn McCrary now concentrates his creative energies in painting and sculpture. He is known particularly for his textural palette knife paintings. He has studied under Sterling Edwards, I.G. Regier, R.H. Hunter and accomplished sculptor F.T. Acorn.

Sail Southport photography by Louis Aliotta

Photographer Louis Aliotta, who is also the framer at Sunset River Marketplace, moved to Southport, N.C. from upstate N.Y. where he studied with master photographer John Freni. He began his career in the commercial sector, but now focuses on local landmarks, coastal scenes and sailing images.

Marie Kasper is a favorite among out-of-town visitors at the gallery because she paints so many miniature beach and harbor scenes. The New England native says, “My works capture a slice of time around our lovely coastline home where every day scenes offer the viewer a one-of-a-kind piece of art to be viewed and treasured.”  Her work has won several awards including a 2012 and 2010 Best In Show from Waterway Art Association.

Nancy Brennand became interested in watercolor when she studied Chinese painting at the China Institute in N.Y.C where she was pursuing a career as a professional harpist. Now living in Little River, S.C., she continues to pursue her passion for watercolor and performs with the Long Bay Symphony in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and the Wilmington Symphony Orchestra in Wilmington, N.C.

Shandi Berls, the only clay artist exhibiting in The Sailing Life, studied sculpture at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and currently lives in Wilmington, N.C. Her high gloss ceramics take form as jewelry, wall pieces, tiles, wall hangings and more – including sailboats.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (Hwy 179), Calabash, N.C. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the website (www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com) or “like” the gallery’s Facebook page, which is updated daily. Reach the gallery by telephone at 910.575.5999.