Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, Receives NC Cares Grant

Editor’s Note: Pay special attention to this notice SC Commercial Gallery owners.



Sunset River Marketplace, the 10,000 square foot art gallery in Calabash, NC, has been awarded a COVID-19 reimbursement award through the North Carolina Arts Council NC Cares for Arts Program and Brunswick Arts Council.

Brunswick Arts Council’s NC Cares for Arts Program received requests totaling $412,949.60 from 23 Brunswick County organizations. The group’s NC CARES sub-committee reviewed applications and approved awards for $163,737.36. The total amount to fund was pre-determined by NC Legislature at $1.15 per head/population.

The purpose of the grant is to support expenditures made during the COVID-19 pandemic from March 1 – December 30, 2020.


Ginny Lassiter

Ginny Lassiter, an abstract artist and owner of Sunset River Marketplace, said, “I am so grateful to North Carolina Arts Council and Brunswick Arts Council for this grant. We were closed for eight weeks and – even since reopening – we have had to severely curtail our programming to meet social distancing mandates. A gallery of this size has quite a large overhead. This grant has absolutely helped us keep our doors open.”

The gallery is currently showing “Mark Gordon: Works In Clay”, a comprehensive collection of pieces by the well-known Wilson, NC clay artist that includes his distinctive spheres, tumblers and raku urns. The show has just been extended through Saturday, January 23, 2021.

Since its inception in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has evolved into a community art hub. Lassiter and her staff have hosted multiple fundraisers for nonprofit groups such as domestic violence advocate Hope Harbor, teen shelter Providence Home, and hospice provider Lower Cape Fear LifeCenter. The gallery has also hosted art shows and receptions for two hospice patients whose last wishes were to present their art to the public. For several years, the gallery was a sponsor and provided the venue for Brunswick Arts Council’s annual black tie fundraiser, An Evening of Miniature Masterpieces.

“We are so fortunate to have legislators at both state and local levels who value art and understand the crucial role it plays it the wellbeing of our community. Once again they’ve shown us that they care.”

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 eclectic 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 are currently being offered on a limited basis. Call the gallery for details.

Special COVID-19 Notice: To meet North Carolina State mandates, Sunset River Marketplace requires that patrons wear face coverings and requires the use of hand sanitizer plus six-foot social distancing between gallery visitors and at the cash register. The gallery staff conducts thorough cleaning of surfaces upon opening and closing and during the day and has placed complimentary hand sanitizer throughout the gallery for visitor use.

The gallery address is: 10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467. Hours are Monday – Saturday, 11am-5pm. 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, noon-5pm and by appointment. Call framer Louis Aliotta directly at 910/368-7351.

The North Carolina Arts Council builds on our state’s long-standing love of the arts, leading the way to a more vibrant future. The Arts Council is an economic catalyst, fueling a thriving nonprofit creative sector that generates $2.12 billion in annual direct economic activity. The Arts Council also sustains diverse arts expression and traditions while investing in innovative approaches to art-making. The North Carolina Arts Council has proven to be a champion for youth by cultivating tomorrow’s creative citizens through arts education. Learn more at (NCArts.org). 

The mission of Brunswick Arts Council is to support, sustain, enhance and cultivate the arts in Brunswick County making cultural events, arts education and appreciation of the arts available to the diverse range of county residents. Learn more at (BrunswickArtsCouncil.org).

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, to Hold Annual Holiday Art Market – Nov. 13 – 15, 2020

Sunset River Marketplace art gallery in Calabash, NC, will hold its annual Holiday Art Market from Friday, Nov. 13 – Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. Always a popular seasonal event, this year the Market will take place over three days in order to help reduce crowds and better maintain social distancing. According to owner Ginny Lassiter, she expects that this ease congestion. “We have a large gallery,” she says, “10,000 square feet of space, so people should be able to social distance pretty easily. We’re also offering a reserved shopping hour with limited availability from 10 – 11am each day. Anyone wishing to take advantage of it should call the gallery to make a reservation. We expect this to fill up quickly.”


Work by Betsy Parker

Approximately 15 artists are being featured to include Holiday pottery, jewelry, oil paintings, acrylics, watercolors, home decor items, photography, metal art, carved and turned wood, wearable art, fiber art, kokedama plants, hand made furniture and more. A ten-foot Christmas tree will be filled with artisan-made ornaments, so customers can choose their favorite directly from the tree. There will also be gift certificate drawings, holiday treats, wine and hot mulled cider. Lassiter says, “With the pandemic, we’ve had to make some changes, but once again, this will be a fun Holiday Art Market!”


Cork Bag by Maureen Mallum, Earrings by Nan Bedick, and Mugs by Shandi McConnell

Featured artists over the weekend, include: Donna Michaux (pottery), Betsy Parker (pottery), Gary Baird (wildlife photography), Ardie Praetorius (pottery), Vicki Neilon (watercolor and acrylics), Pat White (watercolors), Mary Cross (pottery), Jewel Simmons (jewelry), Mona Bendin (pillows), Wes Wagner (wood furniture), Kathy Wolk (pottery and jewelry); Kakie Honig (fused glass), and Sherry Godfrey (pottery and kokedamas). Two authors will be on hand, as well, including Carol O’Neill (Saturday) and Tom Kelso (Sunday).

Pillows by Mona Bendin

Special Hours
Holiday Art Market hours are 11am – 6pm on all three days. The gallery is also offering one hour of reserved shopping each day from 10 – 11am. This will be extremely limited, so you must reserve your spot ahead of time by calling 910/575-5999.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (NC179) in Calabash, NC. Reach us by phone at 910.575.5999. Daily updates will be posted on Facebook and Instagram.

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 eclectic 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 are currently being offered on a limited basis. Call the gallery for details.

Special Covid 19 Notice
To meet North Carolina State mandates, Sunset River Marketplace requires that patrons wear face coverings and requires the use of hand sanitizer plus six-foot social distancing between gallery visitors and at the cash register. The gallery staff conducts thorough cleaning of surfaces upon opening and closing and during the day and has placed complimentary hand sanitizer throughout the gallery for visitor use.

The gallery address is: 10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467. Hours are Monday – Saturday, 11am – 5pm. 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.

Janet B. Sessoms Earns Best In Show at “Farm to Table” Art Show at Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC

Janet B. Sessoms has won the Best In Show award at the “Farm to Table” art show being held at Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC. The show includes over 80 paintings and more than 100 three-dimensional pieces in wood, glass and clay, all which support or depict the Farm to Table theme. Sessoms’ winning entry is “Island Tractor,” an 11- x 14-inch (unframed size) oil painting.

Janet B. Sessoms earned Best In Show for her oil painting “Island Tractor” (top, far left). Shown are, L-R, Sessoms and gallery owner Ginny Lassiter.

Sessoms received her Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education at University of North Carolina at Pembroke. She is a member of Wilmington Art Association and Women Painters of the Southeast. Her work has been featured on the cover of “Art Guide” magazine, “Wrightsville Beach” magazine and “Cape Fear Living” magazine among others.

The “Farm to Table” exhibit opened Nov. 2 and will run through Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Ballots are available for gallery visitors to vote for their favorites. A People’s Choice award will be announced after ballots have been counted on Dec. 1.

Sunset River Marketplace showcases work by approximately 150 North and South Carolina artists, and houses some 10,000 square feet of oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, mixed media, art glass, fabric art, pottery, sculpture, turned and carved wood and artisan-created jewelry. There are two onsite kilns and four wheels used by students in the ongoing pottery classes offered by the gallery. There are realistic and abstract art classes as well as workshops by nationally and regionally known artists. During select months, the gallery hosts Coffee With the Authors, a series of presentations by local and regional authors.

The gallery address is: 10283 Beach Drive SW, Calabash, NC 28467. Hours are Mon.-Sat., 10am-5pm. For more information, call 910/575-5999 or visit the website at (www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com). Daily updates are available on Facebook.

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, Features Works by Sue Sneddon and Deb Hill

Sunset River Marketplace art gallery in Calabash, NC, is showcasing two new artists, Sue Sneddon and Deb Hill, on view through Sept. 5, 2016.

Sue Sneddon works in oil and pastel. Her paintings are fleeting moments of light in the sky, on the water or on wet sand. Sneddon says, “I had my first thought of being a painter was when I was 13 or 14. My mother and I were discussing whether the pink in a bank of oyster shells was a reflection of the pink sky or in the shells themselves. We were on the south end of Pawley’s Island, SC, witnessing a glorious sunset. I said to myself, if I could paint the joy I feel in this moment, then I could be a painter.”

Work by Sue Sneddon

A Durham, NC, critic has said, “Her scenes, which are so similar but so different, are about the light and the shapes; the water and the land are just the means by which she finds their essence and abstracts them into something much more than a traditional landscape….(Sneddon’s) views change with the tides and with the moon. She shows us the many infinite patterns the water makes as it moves to and from the shore. She considers it from every angle, in every light, and in many different mediums.”

The same critic earlier observed, “While dealing with familiar subjects—nature—in a realistically simple fashion, the artist leads us into new territory. Things are not as they seem. Nothing is easy.  The work takes more than a quick look.”

From a show held in Hilton Head, SC, a reviewer said, “Characterized as a realist, even surrealist or photorealist, Sneddon favors an approach to the re-creation of her subjects that is uniquely hers. Her special spin, her angle, her view and her interpretation amount to far more than the images in question…Sneddon offers equal doses of detail and of mystery.”

Deb Hill graduated from Coker College in Hartsville, SC, with degrees in both Fine and Commercial Art. She has worked in commercial and fine art for many years, including six years as a graphic artist for the city of Charlotte, NC. She began studying jewelry-making in the 1990s and has been creating her own ever since.

Work by Deb Hill

Hill’s artisan jewelry features her signature hand crocheting which she incorporates with a variety of gemstones and natural objects. The multi-dimensional artist often paints porcelain with minerals mixed with flux that melts into a glazed disc during kiln firings to create a miniature piece of wearable art.

Since opening in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has been an active supporter of performing, literary and visual arts in the area. The 10,000 square-foot gallery features work by over 150 North and South Carolina artists. Its on-site pottery studio has two kilns and four wheels for use by students. Ongoing oil, pastel, and water media classes are also provided, in addition to workshops by nationally known artists. The gallery’s Coffee With the Authors program features presentations by local and regional offers. A Paint & Party series provides a fun after-work experience for those with no previous art background. The gallery’s framing department offers full-service, on-site custom frame design.

Sunset River Marketplace is located on Beach Drive SW (Hwy 179), Calabash, NC.

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.

Abstract Expressionist Sterling Edwards Featured at Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC

Sunset River Marketplace art gallery in Calabash, NC, is featuring works by Hendersonville, NC, artist Sterling Edwards through July 30, 2016, in a show titled “Sterling Edwards: Intuitive Experience”. Edwards, who works in both watercolor and acrylic, is primarily self-taught and has developed a unique style of painting that has earned him international recognition and the respect of his peers, students and collectors. He is often commissioned to jury national and international art competitions.

Edwards has been featured in “Watercolor Magic” magazine’s “Ones to Watch” and in “Watercolor Artist” magazine. He was awarded membership in the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolor as well as the Transparent Watercolor Society of America. He was selected as a featured artist in the book “Best of America Watermedia Artists,” and is the author of the best selling North Light book, “Creating Luminous Watercolor Landscapes, a Four Step Process”. He is also featured in “Masters of Watercolor,” written by Russian artist and author Konstantin Sterkhov.

He employs stylized shapes, bold lights and darks, and dramatic color rhythms to build his sought after abstract expressionist paintings. Edwards’ expressive calligraphy and splattering are signature techniques.

When asked about his recent works, the artist offers, “My non-representational paintings combine shape, line, color and texture to create a personal visual statement that allow me to say much more with a brush than I could every say with words.”

“I often refer to my abstracted paintings as an intuitive and spontaneous artistic statement. They’re a vision on display composed of energetic and expressive brushwork in some areas that are complemented with subtleties in other areas. What I demand from one of my abstracted paintings is that it truly is a spontaneous and intuitive artistic statement.”

“Sterling Edwards: Intuitive Experience” at Sunset River Marketplace includes over a dozen new works as well as a few from his personal collection.

Since opening in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has been an active supporter of performing, literary and visual arts in the area. The 10,000 square-foot gallery features work by over 150 North and South Carolina artists. Its on-site pottery studio has two kilns and four wheels for use by students. Ongoing oil, pastel and watercolor classes are also provided, in addition to workshops by nationally known artists. The gallery’s Coffee With the Authors program features presentations by local and regional offers. A Paint & Party series provides a fun after-work experience for those with no previous art background. The gallery’s framing department offers full-service, on-site custom frame design.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (Hwy. 179), Calabash, NC. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

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.

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, Features Student Pottery Show

Sunset River Marketplace art gallery and art class center, in Calabash, NC, will host a special exhibition and sale of student pottery beginning May 1 and running through May 28, 2015. The show will include works by students of gallery instructors Jane Truesdale and Jamie Futera. Pottery for sale will be both hand-built pieces from slab and others thrown on the pottery wheel.

Jane Truesdale

Participating pottery students include Rose Beyer, Judith Ascione, Audrey McBride, Donn McCrary, Cynthia Porter, Betsy Russell and Brenda Middleton, all from Jane Truesdale’s classes. Potters from Jamie Futera’s classes are: Kathleen and Terrence Davis, Jean Donald, Diane Castrodale, Kathie Wolk, Sandy Bishop, Debbie Medwik. Connie P, Maureen Mallam, Louise Gerber, Claudia Dowd, Katherine Mohr, Lynn Johnson, Marlene R., Betty Ann Wilmott,  Michele A., Rosalee Rockerfeller, Sue King and Karen West.

Jamie Futera

Gallery owner Ginny Lassiter said, “Our pottery classes have been very successful. Students learn so much from Jane and Jamie; and they have so much fun doing it.” She invites the public to enjoy the exhibition and perhaps see some of the potters at work.

Kathleen Davis

Since opening in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has been an active supporter of performing, literary and visual arts in the area. The 10,000 square-foot gallery features work by over 200 North and South Carolina artists. Its on-site pottery studio has two kilns and three wheels for use by students. Ongoing oil, pastel and watercolor classes are also provided, in addition to workshops by nationally known artists. The gallery’s complimentary Coffee With the Authors programs feature presentations by local and regional authors. A Paint & Party series provides a fun after-work experience for those with no previous art background. The gallery’s framing department offers full-service, on-site custom frame design for artwork, family heirlooms and other memorabilia.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive (Hwy. 179) in the historic fishing village of Calabash, N.C. just north of the S.C. state line.

For further information call 910-575-5999 or visit (www.sunsetrivermarketplace.com). The gallery’s Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sunsetrivermarketplace) also lists special events, new artists and other happenings.

Sunset River Marketplace Art Gallery in Calabash, NC, Honors Artists with Exhibit and Reception – Jan. 20-24, 2015

Sunset River Marketplace art gallery in Calabash, NC, will present “An Artist’s Legacy,” a five-day exhibition honoring artists Ramona Batsford Bendin (oil), Betty Bee (watercolor, print making), Edward “Ed” S. Fitzgerald (oil) and Brenda “Bree” Goff (pastel), all of whom exhibited at the gallery and passed away recently. The show will run from Tuesday, Jan. 20 through Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015. A reception will be held Saturday, Jan. 24 from 2 – 5pm. The public is invited and there is no charge. Works on display will include pieces on loan from family and friends as well as some for sale through the gallery.

Ramona Bendin with her oil painting “Monhegan Boats”

Ramona Bendin, who died Oct. 6, 2013, was known throughout the area for her realistic oil paintings of coastal ocean scenes and marshscapes.  She was a lifetime member of the American Artist Professional League and was elected to Hudson Valley Art Association. In the Carolinas, she was associated with Brunswick Arts Council, Waterway Art Association, Associated Artists of Southport and Wilmington Art Association. Throughout her 60-year career she earned many national and regional honors for her work.

Betty Bee

Betty Bee passed away Oct. 23, 2014. She was a member of the Backporch Painters, Burroughs and Chapin Art Museum, and Waccamaw Arts and Crafts Guild, and SC Watercolor Guild. A charter member of the Bible Fellowship Baptist Church in Little River, SC, she donated many of her pieces to the church. A number of them will be included in the Sunset River exhibition.

Ed Fitzgerald during his flying days

Ed Fitzgerald, who died Nov. 1, 2014, began painting at age 14. He joined the US Navy Air Service when he was 17 and served on three aircraft carriers. He would later teach both acrobatic flying and skydiving. As an artist, he was known for his glossy, small oils, which he painted in the style of the Old Masters.

Bree Goff with art instructor Sterling Edwards at Sunset River Marketplace workshop

Bree Goff passed away August 23, 2014. An active member in the Art Matters pastel group at Sunset River Marketplace, she and her husband retired to Calabash from Virginia. She is an award-winning artist known for her beautifully rendered landscapes and figural paintings.

Since opening in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has become an active supporter of performing, literary and visual arts in the area. The 10,000 square-foot gallery features work by over 200 North and South Carolina artists. Its on-site pottery studio has two kilns and three wheels for use by students. Ongoing oil, pastel and watercolor classes are also provided, in addition to workshops by nationally known artists. The gallery’s Coffee With the Authors programs feature presentations by local and regional offers. A Paint & Party series provides a fun after-work experience for those with no previous art background. The gallery’s framing department offers full-service, on-site custom frame design.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (Hwy 179), Calabash, NC. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm. Winter hours, in effect from January through March, are Tuesday through Saturday,  10am – 5pm. 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.

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, Offers Creativity Unleashed – Oct. 25, 2014

On Saturday, Oct. 25, 2014, from 1 to 5pm, Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, will present Creativity Unleashed, an afternoon of pottery demonstrations, live readings, painters at their easels, live music, acting, and more. Appetizers  and refreshments will be served throughout the afternoon. There is no charge and no reservations are necessary.

Ginny Lassiter, owner of the eclectic art gallery, says, “We wanted to share our love for all art genres and give visitors a chance to see some local artists at work.”

Lassiter, an artist herself, works in acrylic and will be one of the artists found at her easel throughout the afternoon.  Also painting will be Jefferson watermedia artist  Raney Rogers who is the host of the  Painting With Raney television program; award-winning artist Jane Staszak, the gallery’s pastel instructor; Sneads Ferry oil painter Sherry Thurston;  and abstract artist Liz Roberts. Watercolor artist Pat White will also be on hand with her note cards.

Renowned North Myrtle Beach, SC, pastel artist Jane Staszak

Wilmington, NC, clay artist Brian Evans will work on the pottery wheel throughout the afternoon. The Beaufort, SC, artist first studied ceramics under master potter Hiroshi Sueyoshi and is now renowned for his own vessels and sculptural pieces inspired by nature, architecture and the human form.

Designers Sherry Banner and Kathie Wolk will be creating original jewelry throughout the event.

Performing live music will be Lesa Hudson and Rick Strickland from the Murrells Inlet-based group the Rick Strickland Band. Both vocalists/musicians have been nominated from numerous 2014 Carolina Beach Music Academy awards including Male Vocalist of the Year, Solo Album of the Year and Producer of the Year for Strickland and Female Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year and Songwriter of the Year for Hudson.

Acoustic duo Obscurity, made up of husband and wife Tom and Liz Roberts, will present a program of Gaelic music and Carolina tunes.

Actor/author Stan Atamanchek (“Blackbeard’s Fun Pirate Talk”) will be in costume to entertain gallery visitors with pirate tales and adventure. Pat Gambarelli, author of “The Four Seasons of Gourmet Entertaining” and “Pasta For Men” is bring some of her favorite appetizers and sweets for gallery visitors to taste and enjoy.

Since opening in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has become an active supporter of performing, literary and visual arts in the area. The 10,000 square-foot gallery features work by over 200 North and South Carolina artists. Its on-site pottery studio has two kilns and three wheels for use by students. Ongoing oil, pastel and watercolor classes are also provided, in addition to workshops by nationally known artists. The gallery’s Coffee With the Authors programs feature presentations by local and regional offers. A Paint & Party series provides a fun after-work experience for those with no previous art background. The gallery’s framing department offers full-service, on-site custom frame design.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (Hwy 179), Calabash, NC. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm. 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.

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, is Offering Two Free Art Demos – Aug. 26 and Aug. 27, 2014

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, will offer two more artist demonstrations in August. The events are free and no reservations are required:

Watercolor demo with Pat White on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, from 1 – 3pm

and

Pottery demo with Joe & Tonda Jeffcoat on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2014, from noon – 2pm

Joe Jeffcoat working

Since opening in 2002, Sunset River Marketplace has become an active supporter of performing, literary and visual arts in the area. The 10,000 square-foot gallery features work by over 200 North and South Carolina artists. Its on-site pottery studio has two kilns and three wheels for use by students. Ongoing oil, pastel and watercolor classes are also provided, in addition to workshops by nationally known artists. The gallery’s Coffee With the Authors programs feature presentations by local and regional offers. A recently added Paint & Party series provides a fun after-work experience for those with no previous art background. The gallery’s framing department offers full-service, on-site custom frame design.

Sunset River Marketplace is located at 10283 Beach Drive SW (Hwy. 179), Calabash, NC. Regular hours are Monday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm.

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.

Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash, NC, has Gallery Artist, Louis Aliotta, Selected for SC State Park Artist in Residence Program

Photographer Louis Aliotta of Southport, NC, has been awarded a space in the 2014 Artist in Residence program of the South Carolina State Park Service. According to park manager, Harry Hafer, the placement committee was “extremely pleased with the quality of artists that applied this year. This quality made the final selection a tough decision for the jurors.”

The program includes a one week stay in a fully furnished park cabin on South Carolina’s Dreher Island, where Aliotta will be inspired by the nature trails, fishing spots, recreational activities and shoreline of Lake Murray.

Aliotta first became interested in photography at the age of 14. As a staff photographer for his high school yearbook and student newspaper, he gained experience shooting candid photographs, portraits, sports images and group photos. It was during this time that he began to study and work under master photographer John Freni.

After a stint in the Navy, where he served as photographer’s mate, he returned home to Poughkeepsie, NY, and spent the next five years working in commercial photography. Eventually losing interest in the commercial aspects of photography, he began working as a custom picture framer while he also pursued a more relaxed form of photography. Says Aliotta, “Custom framing exposed me to a variety of fine art and techniques used by artists and photographers. It really gave me the opportunity to experiment and refine my technical and artistic abilities.”

In 1983, Aliotta opened his own gallery and framing business, Framecenter/Hudson River Graphics. The gallery showcased photography of New York’s majestic Hudson Valley. After several visits to North Carolina, he relocated to Southport in 2005 and began a new portfolio of images that include the Cape Fear region and the Carolina coast. Aliotta is known for has panoramic photographs of harbor scenes, wild flowers and coastal images. In addition to photographing whatever moves him, he also photographs artwork at Sunset River Marketplace art gallery, where he has worked as the staff photographer and custom framer since 2007. Gallery owner Ginny Lassiter said, “Lou has a special eye for composing local landmark scenes that stand out both for their photographic quality and their emotional appeal.”

Photographic works by Louis Aliotta are on display at Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash (910/575-5999) and also at Art Shak Studo and Gallery in Southport (910/457-1757).