By By KEVIN SCOTT CUTLER
Lifestyles & Features Editor
The work of some 60 artist members of the Beaufort County Arts Council is on exhibit in the Washington Civic Center Gallery.
Over 100 pieces representing various art mediums are showcased in this year’s Members’ Exhibit, according to BCAC Executive Director Joey Toler.
“The Arts Council has been doing this for as long as I can remember, at least 15 years,” Toler said of the show. “This is an opportunity for our artist members to exhibit their work.”
The exhibit opened in early May and runs through June 30. Included are pieces by some of the county’s better-known artists, as well as those whose work is not as familiar, Toler noted.
“Some of our artist members are professionals, but some are amateurs, so for some of them this is the only time they get to exhibit their work,” he said. “It’s really a service I think we provide for artists who are just beginning or really don’t have an opportunity to exhibit very often. Having said that, though, that’s changing in our town, I’m glad to say.”
Toler continued, pointing out that downtown Washington is home to many more galleries and art-oriented businesses than used to be the case.
“We’ve got the Outer Banks Artisans’ Center, The Purser’s Chest, River Walk, Notes Cafe, Lone Leaf, the Turnage — and I just can’t stress it enough. The more the merrier,” he said. “I’m just so encouraged to see the arts community adding to the downtown economic development.”
As for the Members’ Exhibit, Toler said he’s pleased with the variety of pieces being showcased this year. Each artist member of the BCAC was invited to enter up to two pieces.
“There’s a little bit of everything,” he said. “There’s oils and acrylics, needlepoint, watercolors, photograph, three-dimensional, quilting, wood pieces, pottery and assemblage art.”
Most of the pieces featured in the show are for sale, Toler added.
For more on the Members’ Exhibit, see Sunday’s Pamlico Horizons feature in the Washington Daily News.
The Washington Civic Center Gallery is open Tuesdays through Fridays, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Occasionally, the gallery is closed for private functions. For more information, call BCAC at 252-946-2504.