Dare County Arts Council Gallery

The artwork of Randy Hodges is firmly based in the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust - iron. He is a blacksmith who devotes much of his craftwork to the creation of wrought iron and fabricated steel sculptures. His favorite subjects are the varied creatures that inhabit our oceans, air, lands, and imaginations. The materials he uses are primarily from the realm of the scrap yard - old hand tools and machine parts, used horseshoes, railroad spikes, and such. Join…

James Melvin's "Peace" Exhibit will be on display March 1-26 at the Dare County Arts Council Gallery. Works in this show represent the joyful peace, glorious beauty, awesome history and beautiful people on the Outer Banks. This has been James Melvin's theme for 37 years and he is still in awe of the beauty that surrounds us. James wants viewers to be reminded of experiences that have touched their lives in a magnificent way. A versatile artist, James works in…

The Art of the Recipe: a salty foodART exhibition is an invitational art show featuring local artwork inspired by a curated collection of printed local recipes found in the cookbook collection of the Outer Banks History Center. Artists will offer their interpretation of a specific recipe in Pottery, Glass, Textiles, Photographs, Paintings, Metal, Wood, New Media and more. More than 30 highly accredited artists will be exhibited from March 22-30. The show is curated by local food culturist Amy Gaw…

“Journeys” - an exhibit of Gordon Kreplin’s photography will be on display in the upstairs Courtroom Gallery at the Dare County Arts Council Gallery from April 13th through April 26th.

The 22nd Mollie Fearing Memorial Arts Show will be on display at the Dare County Arts Council from May 5th through June 1st. The show is held in memory of Mollie A. Fearing, one of the founders of the Dare County Arts Council, and features an eclectic mix of artwork. The Mollie Fearing Memorial Show goes on display every May at the DCAC Gallery. We are pleased celebrate her memory and remember her many contributions to our area through this…

Mari Beth LaRose will host a Kid's Art Party at DCAC on Saturday, May 18 from 5-7pm, where students will be led step by step in creating their very own masterpiece of a Monet frog.

In 2018, Fred Vallade started to paint again after 22 years of doing etchings and 25 years of making pottery. He dared himself to do something different and decided to try abstract/mixed media painting, which led to changes in his style and more freedom in his creative journey. He incorporates random and deliberate marks, lines, shapes and colors, often in several layers in his art and says that texture and depth (or lack of) are very important aspects of his…

In June, the Dare County Arts Council will host two student art exhibits in their upstairs Gallery. One show, titled "Collected Memories", will feature works in watercolor, acrylic, oil and mixed media from professional and emerging artists who participate in the ongoing painting workshops at DCAC, taught by Munroe Bell and Fay Davis Edwards. Each student has such a beautiful way of capturing memory and interpreting it for their audience. The second show will feature Dare County High School seniors'…

Taylor Williams' July exhibition will showcase the views of living ‘Between Bridges’ on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For this series, she continues exploring her love of painting seascapes and skyscapes found on the barrier islands. The intention of this exhibit is to immerse you in the serene scenery the Outer Banks is known for. Drawing from inspiration from her home, Taylor's body of work contains seascapes, sunrises, sunsets, and beach homes. The ever-changing ocean and dynamic sky, provide…

"Beauty and Wonders Abound" will be on display August 2-31 featuring the best of Ray Matthews' recent work including Outer Banks scenics. There will be color prints along with black and white and infrared images. The goal of this show is to give you a sense of the feelings Ray has for his home on the Outer Banks, and some resonance with your own experience. Ray is a native of Pasquotank County, NC, but he has lived in Dare County…

This September exhibit will be a group show featuring Ocracoke artists Roy Revels, Kitty Mitchell, Barbara Adams, Debbie Wells, and Mary Bassell. Their art will be on display September 6th through October 1st telling the stories of their surroundings on the small barrier island. ​Sculpture, acrylic, watercolor and oil are just a few of the media that will be exhibited in this special show, which is curated by Marissa Gross who owns Down Creek Gallery on Ocracoke Island. All of…

A unique collection of amazing surfboards and surf craft will be exhibited in Dare County Arts Council's upstairs courtroom Gallery from September 17th through October 6th. Longboards, shortboards, skimboards, bodyboards, handplanes, surf mats and more, curated by Steve Wise will be on display. The array of surf craft will provide insight into the wide variety of vessels that surfers use to ride waves, along with some surfing history. Surf and art enthusiasts are invited to DCAC for the opening reception…

In October, The Dare County Arts Council hosts a solo exhibit featuring Williamston, NC artist, Mike Bennett. As a visual artist, he paints all types of subjects from portraits to murals and other large compositions. Mike works in pencil, pastels, charcoal, pen, ink, watercolor, oil and mixed media to create figures, landscapes, seascapes, interior compositions, and more. The show will be on display October 4-29, 2019. Winter Gallery Hours: Tuesday-Friday: 10am - 5pm Saturday: 12pm - 4pm Sunday & Monday:…

Manteo artist, Fay Davis Edwards, has been selected for Dare County Arts Council’s 2019 People’s Choice Exhibit from a field of over two dozen talented artists across a range of media. The People’s Choice Exhibit will be titled “Watermarks” and will have a diverse selection of Fay’s mixed media, photography and paintings. The month-long exhibit will have an opening reception on Friday, November 1 at 6pm, where the community will be able to meet Fay and view her work. The…

Boobies, Frigates and Iguanas is a special art exhibition featuring mixed media by artists Susannah Sakal and Barbara Hanft. Paintings of the unique animals, plants and people Susannah and Barbara encountered on their once in a lifetime trip to the Galapagos Islands and Andes Mountains in 2018 will fill the hallway of DCAC's gallery. All works of art are for sale and include botanical illustrations and mixed media paintings e.g., watercolor, pen and ink, oil, colored pencil, and collage. There…

Mari Beth LaRose will lead a Spanish themed art party on Saturday, January 18 from 5pm-7pm. During this class, students will be led step by step in creating their very own mini self portrait on canvas along with tissue paper flowers. This class will also feature a special guest- Spanish teacher Maria Larue, who will talk to the kids about Spanish culture and teach them some Spanish words. The cost is $30 for DCAC members and $35 for nonmembers and…

Janet Pierce's month-long solo exhibit "Moments Of Light And Color" will feature Janet's impressionistic paintings that are known for lush colors with unusual viewing or vantage points. The show will be on display February 7-29, 2020. The opening reception is on Friday, February 7 from 6-8pm. There will be light hors d'oeuvres and libations. Reception guests will also have the opportunity to meet Janet, a Southern Shores resident. The reception is free and open to the public.