Has it been a full week without the awesomeness that is Jordan’s art to brighten our day?! Whew, sorry about that. I’ll be sure to get a few out this week.
It’s awesome to see how much the OBX motivates Jordan. When Jordan isn’t chasing Toys from God, he’s perfecting his new found love for art…and we are lucky enough to get a glimpse at his creations. Today we’re going to get a peek at what Jordan’s brush can do.
This is an acrylic painting on canvas that Jordan titles “Tree of Life.” I love the constant ocean theme in all of Jordan’s art…definitely some OBX magic in every stroke.
Thanks for sharing Jordan!
Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Jordan's Brush - "Tree of Life"
The world is a canvas..so paint it! Calling out to all Outer Banks fans….show off your creativity and your love of an Outer Banks vacation as part of the Seaside Vacations T-Shirt Design Contest.
Love catching sunrises on the beach? Is building sandcastles your thing? Or maybe visiting the wonderful local Outer Banks attractions is why you love the Outer Banks. Whatever represents an Outer Banks vacation to you, let your creativity shine!
The grand prize winner will receive a free official Seaside Vacations Summer 2012 T-Shirt.t to show off your winning design! Not to mention a 4-Day/3-Night stay in one of our fabulous Outer Banks vacation homes! How can you go wrong with a free vacation?
Are you up for the challenge? If so please visit our website for more information and design criteria. We are looking for something that really represents all of the great things that make an OBX vacation…so start brainstorming and get to the drawing board.The submission deadline is September 30th.
I was told that the “Across the Universe” album is the best for bringing out artistic creativity so give it a shot.
Ready for some more local flavor? I hope so. We’re back with the second episode in our brand new video series, Outer Banks Treasures. There are so many great things to discover on the OBX that it’s very easy to have a long list of great ideas!…stay tuned, more on the way.
Last time we gave you a sneak peek at one of the best photographers here on the OBX in her private Seaside Vacations employee shoot. Today we are going to continue in the creative direction with an amazing up and coming artist named Katy Caroline. Katy’s career is just taking off, but what she lacks in experience, she more than makes up for in breathtaking natural ability with a paint brush in hand. She has done many commissioned works from murals, to trompe l’oeils, to illustrations.
Recently she leaped head first into her art career and devotes all of her time to creating works of all different colors, textures and styles. She will try anything once and has a true passion for what she does. She shares a deep connection with her Manteo roots which reflects in the countless paintings of the idyllic scenery of the Outer Banks.
As a Club Seaside partner, Katy offers an “Art in Action” event that gives Seaside Vacations’ guests to the opportunity to enjoy a glass of local wine and watch her in action as she paints, plus a tour of the studio and a chance to purchase her original art.
Katy is truly a delight to work with, a spectacular artist, and I am so happy to be able to share her awesomeness with you.
To learn more about Katy’s work check out her website, and when you are in the area make sure to stop by and view some of her work at ARTspace studio located at: 1 Ocean Blvd #108 Southern Shores, NC 27949
We’ve mentioned Katy Caroline a couple times on this blog (here & here), and I’d like to congratulate Katy on her continued success. The Outer Banks Voice recently wrote a great article about Katy, and it highlights many of the reasons that Katy is gaining recognition as a great artist…on and off the OBX.
I’ll recap some of Katy’s history, but to start I’d like to mention an intangible that the Outer Banks Voice article doesn’t mention; Katy’s great personality.
As the article mentions, prior to diving into painting head first, Katy spent much of her time working at the Nags Head Animal Hospital. During the time Katy was working there, I was fortunate enough to trick one of Katy’s fellow employees into marrying me. So I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Katy through my wife since her Animal Hospital days, and I can unequivocally say that Katy’s success with painting has as much to do with her natural ability as it does with her exceptional personality.
Katy always has a smile on her face, and her upbeat energy is contagious and lets you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is happy to see you. This personality shows in her paintings through the bright colors and the happy scenes her brush strokes create. Her personality and the personality of her subject seem to come together in a soup of happiness that jumps off the canvas.
Katy Caroline - Putting the Steak on the Grill
Katy’s personality also shines through on the business side of painting. The business side of art can be somewhat draining for the artist, but Katy embraces it with the same enthusiasm she dedicates to her painting. The article mentions Katy’s “Sip and Dip” painting classes, and there’s no question that these classes are so popular not only due to Katy’s great instruction but also because people like to be around Katy. She keeps life simple and fun…just the way art should be.
As a side note, shhhhhh, don’t tell anyone just yet, but Katy is going to join our Club Seaside 2011 lineup of events. The details are still being ironed out, and I’ll leave the focus of this post on Katy, but please keep an eye out for our Club Seaside announcement coming soon.
Now on to some more about Katy’s background. I think Katy’s art speaks for itself, but she has a pretty cool story, so it’s worth taking a quick look in the “way back machine.”
Katy Caroline Gullett was born on June 18th 1981, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
She ended up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 1997, where she eventually graduated from high school in 1999.
After graduating, she went out west to Colorado to pursue snowboarding when, after her third winter there, she was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease and was told to rest for two years.
So, back on the Outer Banks “resting,” she decided to get her associates degree at the local community college.
In an effort to satisfy her art requirements, she took a painting class. Her instructor quickly noticed her talent and began to encourage her to paint on a regular basis.
Along with this encouragement, she earned best in show at the art competition held by the school that semester.
It was in that moment, when she first saw that purple ribbon on her painting, she knew that being a painter could be an attainable dream.
Katy’s life has never been the same. Immediately following that purple ribbon she landed her first commissioned job, and she hasn’t looked back. Since then, she has done many commissioned works from murals, to trompe l’oeils, to illustrations. Last fall she finally got the opportunity to paint what she wants and has been painting to her heart’s content. She has said when she looks around she is like a kid in a candy store; taking in colors and textures, all in new perspectives. Her visual senses have been awakened to a new level that stimulates different thoughts and feelings.
Can you imagine discovering such a great skill in your 20’s…by accident?! Kind of gives us all hope. Maybe you are the next great painter….probably worth signing up for one of Katy’s “Sip and Dip” classes to find out!
Katy’s career is just taking off. And with her natural charm, plus her natural painting ability, the sky is the limit…oh yeah, not to mention her exceptional dedication to her craft.
Congrats Katy! We’re looking forward to seeing a big 2011 for you.
Still looking for that perfect holiday gift for the OBX lover in your life? How about some Outer Banks inspired art?
Don’t stress, you don’t need to be on the OBX to get the art, and you don’t have to pay and arm and a leg for an original piece. You can cuddle up on your couch in your Snuggie and order this cool book.
Christaphora Robeers recently published The Quiet Voice of the Outer Banks: A Visual Journey. Inspired by the clouds, sea and beach, Robeers creates large and small works, using oils to create soft, almost translucent landscapes that have a youthful appeal.
If you’re in the Richmond area, you pick up the book in person and take a look Robeers work in one shot. She will be showcasing her Outer Banks-centered paintings at the Red Door Gallery from Dec. 9 to Jan. 18.
Katy Caroline is an amazing local painter on the Outer Banks. Katy’s career is just taking off, but what she lacks in experience, she more than makes up for in breathtaking natural ability and hours of hard work with a paint brush in hand.
Katy is the featured artist for February for the Dare County Art’s Council.
Katy Caroline’s “Bid in a Box” show opened at the Dare County Art’s Council on Friday, February 5th with a reception at the DCAC Gallery, located at 104 Sir Walter Raleigh Street in downtown Manteo. The usual lively atmosphere at the Gallery was enhanced with light fare, libations and live music from Ed Tupper and Becky Kessler.
On Friday, February 12th, Katy hosted a “Demo Day,” where she lectured a bit and demonstrated her technique.
On Thursday, February 18th, you can stop by the show for your chance to win a pet portrait, available for this one day only. Katy will be there painting as well. The winner for this will be drawn at the end of the day.
Katy’s Bio: Katy Caroline Gullett was born on June 18th 1981, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Due to matters out of her parents’ hands, she moved constantly as a child. That is, until she ended up on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 1997, where she eventually graduated from high school in 1999. After that she went out west to Colorado to pursue snowboarding when, after her third winter there, she was diagnosed with Lyme’s Disease and was told to rest for two years. So, back on the Outer Banks “resting,” she decided to get her associates degree at the local community college. In an effort to satisfy her art requirements, she took a painting class. Her instructor quickly noticed her talent and began to encourage her to paint on a regular basis. Along with this encouragement, she earned best is show at the art competition held by the school that semester.
It was in that moment, when she first saw that purple ribbon on her painting, she knew that being a painter could be an attainable dream. She immediately sought out to get her first job and since then, has done many commissioned works from murals, to trompe l’oeils, to illustrations. Last fall she finally got the opportunity to paint what she wants and has been painting to her heart’s content. She has said when she looks around she is like a kid in a candy store; taking in colors and textures, all in new perspectives. Her visual senses have been awakened to a new level that stimulates different thoughts and feelings. And so, her collection right now is just all about exploration of color, style, and texture. Although her subject matter remains the same. That is, the ideallyc scenery of her home town of the Outer Banks.
A joint art show opened on October 3 at Roanoke island’s Festival Park and will run through October 28. The show features Hatteras Island artist Daniel Pullen and Stephanie Kiker.
The exhibit will have an Outer Banks appeal that will attract folks that enjoy all aspects of our barrier islands; waves, wildlife, and the OBX vibe. Mediums vary from photography, to drawings, and paintings.
The show is open from 10/3 – 10/28, and the gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. It is free and open to the public.
For more information about this event call (252) 475-1506 or visit www.roanokeisland.com.
Pullen has lived on Hatteras Island for more than 30 years. He is a well-versed, and eclectic artist that is able to bring a very creative style to his photography and painting. His surf photography captures the essesence of the Outer Banks surf experience from the beach and the water, and he uses a variety of unique surfaces for his bold surf paintings.
Kiker graduated from the School of Design at North Carolina State University focusing on graphic and fine arts. She works in pastel to create realistic images of the flora and fauna on Hatteras Island where she has been living for more than two decades. Kiker has developed what she calls an aboriginal style using colored pencils to express stylized nature.
A 
Painting Workshop on the Outer Banks
