Arts and crafts on Ocracoke Island
Half of the fun of an art-hunting excursion to this island off the Outer Banks is getting there. Drive onto a ferry at Hatteras, then get out the cameras to capture the sea, sky and wake on the 45-minute trip. Once on Ocracoke, beach lovers will find several paths leading to the water’s edge, but art lovers will gravitate to the island’s eclectic craft colony. Local, regional and national artists are represented in the selection of pottery, jewelry, photography, carvings, papers, paintings and glassworks, as well as bath and body products and funky collectibles. Learn about the history of the area and browse the island-theme mementos, from cookbooks to Christmas tree ornaments, in the Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum gift shop. The heart of the island is about a square mile, so plan on strolling from shop to shop.
Ocracoke Preservation Society Museum, 49 Water Plant Road, Ocracoke Island, N.C. 252-928-7375, ocracokepreservation.org. Down Creek Gallery, 260 Irvin Garrish Highway, Ocracoke Island. 252-928-4400, downcreekgallery.com. Island Artworks, 89 British Cemetery Road, Ocracoke Island. 252-928-3892, islandartworks.com. Village Craftsmen, 170 Howard St., Ocracoke Island. 252-928-5541, villagecraftsmen.com.
Piedmont Craftsmen, Winston-Salem
Founded in 1963, this nonprofit guild supports the work of more than 400 members who hone their skills in a variety of crafts. Ongoing exhibits in the guild’s shop and gallery feature creations in many media and price ranges. Limited-edition and one-of-a-kind treasures can be found in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, wood, photography and more. The guild’s annual fall crafts fair brings 120 artists into the Benton Convention Center, where they meet buyers and collectors and discuss their displays. This year’s event is Nov. 19-20.
601 N.Trade St., Winston-Salem, N.C. 336-725-1516, piedmontcraftsmen.org, @PiedmontCrftsmn.
Hickory Museum of Art
The town of Hickory got its own art museum back in the 1940s, when a local resident spearheaded a grass-roots move to create one. After expanding its collection, the museum relocated several times, finally taking over a former high school building in the 1980s. A $2.6 million renovation turned the red-brick, white-columned structure into a showcase for more than 1,500 items. One of the most popular collections is of Hudson River School landscape paintings created by more than a dozen 19th century artists. The museum also houses more than 250 pieces of Southern regional self-taught art, works by North Carolina artists, and selections of American pottery, glass art and high-speed photography.
243 Third Ave., Hickory, N.C. 828-327-8576, hickoryart.org, @HickoryMuseum.
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