Sunset River Marketplace art gallery in Calabash, NC will host Baird’s Birds as part of the gallery’s yearlong 20th anniversary. Wildlife photographer Gary Baird and his wife Sue, often known as Spotter Sue, will present a talk and slide show on Monday, March 21 from 2 – 3 p.m. They will share stories and knowledge about local seabirds and other backyard species that can be found in Coastal North and South Carolina. The event is free, but seating is limited, so the public is encouraged to call the gallery at 910.575.5999 ahead and reserve a seat.
Gary’s love affair with nature began when he started backpacking in the Sierras while a high school student in Southern California. Photography became a natural extension of wanting to capture the beauty of what he was seeing on those trips with others. His passion for photography and nature continued to grow.
As a teacher he was able to pick where he wanted to work, so he chose great places for photography. Gary lived in Colorado, Seattle, New England and for the last 30+ years, North Carolina. After retiring from a career as an educator, he and Sue moved from Raleigh to Carolina Shores.
This has been an amazing gift in that he is living in a wonderful area for photography with the time that retirement offers to fully engage his passion. His roots are as a mountain photographer in the West, but he has fallen in love with the vast array of birds to photograph on the Carolina coast.
Rather than just trying to check off birds he has captured digitally, Gary tries to capture them in dramatic poses or unique light. Gary says, “The nice thing about being a nature photographer is that every time you go out to shoot you are almost guaranteed to see something new or amazing. There are awe-inspiring events taking place every day in nature. It is up to each photographer to bring his or her vision and skill to capture those moments.”
One of the most sought-after prizes for bird watchers in the area is a photo of the brilliantly colored Painted Bunting. Gary and Sue find them every year. “Mid-April we start looking for one of the most beautiful birds in this area,” Gary says. “The Painted Bunting is a frequent visitor to Vereen Gardens. One April we were watching them play hide and seek in the thickets to vex my photo attempts. Then one beautifully colored mail, obviously feeling sorry for me, flew onto the rail of the boardwalk and posed for me until I was able to capture him in all his glory.
About Sunset River Marketplace
Located in coastal Brunswick County, Sunset River Marketplace caters to both tourists and a growing local community of full-time residents seeking fine art for their homes and businesses. Featuring work by approximately 150 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. Call the gallery for details.
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 www.sunsetrivermarketplace.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 framer Louis Aliotta directly at 910.368.7351 (this number for framing only).