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andra Baldree had never tried anything like this before. Last fall she saw some harvested gourds for sale outside Vanceboro and, as she puts it, “my brain went from there.” She bought them and started painting bright – very bright – colors on them. On Saturday she brought forty to the 11th Annual Art on the Neuse festival in Oriental.

It was the Merritt resident’s first time ever selling her work. By mid-afternoon she was down to a dozen. Her success at Art on the Neuse dovetailed with that of Saturday’s outdoor arts festival as a whole.

The 11th Annual Art on the Neuse Festival was Sandra Baldree’s very first time – ever – selling her art work. It all began when she saw harvested gourds for sale outside Vanceboro last year She worked on them in fall and winter – “I didn’t even know I had it in me.”.

Ten years ago this spring Oriental held its very first Art on the Neuse outdoor festival at Lou Mac Park. In time, it moved to the harbor, a site more protected from the winds on the Neuse. Other changes came as well.

In the past few years, Oriental’s only yearly arts fest has been organized by the Pamlico County Arts Council. This year, the event drew three and a half dozen artists – potters, painters, weavers, jewelry makers — some first timers such as Baldree, others veterans of the event. Most said they’d had a good day selling their work.

Bay River Pottery has been part of many Art on the Neuse festivals. In foreground one work holds one of the many flowers and grasses that mark Candace Young’s displays. In background, Candace.

Giving first timers such as Sandra Baldree a chance and giving the public a venue to find more art, Art on the Neuse carried out several of the Arts Council’s missions — to encourage artists and support the arts in the county.

Marguerite Garrett’s entry in the “Put A Word In” challenge. Her words were written in tiny script, spelling out W-A-S-T-E NOT in the six squares and W-A-N-T N-O-T in the sprocket holes in the film strips. She won first place among the public entries in the challenge.

This year, the Arts Council put out a challenge to the public and artists participating in the festival, to “Put A Word In” and work words in to a piece of art. (The focus on words came because the Arts Council has been featuring the literary arts with workshops in Pamlico County schools this year.) Lauri Arntsen of Wake Forest won among the festival’s artists, while an entry from Oriental artist Marguerite Garrett took top honors in the public category.

Lauri Arntsen of Wake Forest took first place among the “Put A Word In” judges. (Pamlico Arts Council has highlighted the literary arts in its in-school programs this year and challenged artists at the festival to work words in to a piece.) Arntsen already had the matching t-shirt.

Art on the Neuse 2014 also had four bands playing on the stage at the Oriental Marina throughout the day. In one set break between acts, a local poet’s group presented their works, as part of the “Put A Word In” theme.

Youngest poet of the day. During a poetry reading, Caroline James of Oriental delivered – by heart – her poem about the ocean – with only an occasional glance at her iPhone. She also spent a few hours at the festival selling lemonade and desserts. Business was brisk.

And for a second year, the Arts Council had commemorative Art on the Neuse posters for sale. This year’s was built around a painting of a sailboat by local artist Julie Gaines. At the PCAC tent, there was a strong business in posters, though some remain and are available for sale. Proceeds go toward the Arts Council’s work in promoting the arts in Pamlico County.

Windchimes – made of pieces repurposed from other functions — were among the garden art works being sold by Jennifer Del Rio.

Sandra Baldree’s brightly painted gourds drew a steady stream of lookers — and buyers. In her first venture selling her work, the Merritt resident sold most of the gourds she’d brought to Art on the Neuse.

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Posted Tuesday May 13, 2014 by Melinda Penkava