OWLS from Jim and Tori Mullan

 

For details visit our web site by clicking here!

Christmas Card Retrospective Part 2

Part Two - These cards make 13 with several to go - look for Christmas Card Retrospective Part 3!!

I know of at least 4 cards I'm missing!

Robert Rigsby Artist

Our friend Robert Rigsby paints James Reed Lane

Robert Rigsby, Jr. DVM lives in southeastern North Carolina.  Within a couple of hours drive of his home are the beaches of the Outer Banks, the metropolitan areas of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, and the southern Appalachian mountains.  He has been a full-time veterinarian and practice owner but also draws on his diverse experiences in camping, snowboarding, triathalons, surfing, hunting, fishing, and recently kiteboarding to influence his artwork.  Only oil paint provides the range of color, value, and textures to express the images he portrays.

     Although Robert has 9 years of formal college education (Appalachian State University, BS from NC State University and DVM from Ohio State University)  his artistic talents are largely self taught.  He started with water color in the early 80's and sold several pieces at Wake Visual Arts while attending NC State.  He began using oil paint after reading  Brushwork for Oil Painters by Emilio Grupe.'  His skills and plein air technique were enhanced by classes with Mike Rooney.  Recently, courses with Paul McCormick and Jonathan Peedin have enhanced his skill with figure and portraiture.  

     Robert now paints full-time from his studio and still practices Veterinary medicine part-time.  He lives with his veterinarian wife, Dr. Kirby H. Rigsby, daughter Morgan, dogs Franny and Eliza, cats Bob, Alex, Anna, and Lionel (the monster), dozens of fish and turtles, snakes, a bearded dragon lizard, 3 tarantulas, 2 ducks and Moo Moo the hamster.  His goal is to paint that piece that is so intriguing that it causes his wife to pause from her hectic life and say "Wow."    

      We have represented Robert at Carolina Creations for many years. To purchase this painting or for more information click here!

Two Days Until Christmas!!

We have had a wonderful season at Carolina Creations!

Yesterday we were honored with visits from both Santa and Bernie the Bear, which really put everyone in the Christmas spirit.

Each year we get visits from some unforgetable characters.

Like the 3-4 men from Oriental that zoom in on one of our late nights, kid each other and us, purchase the perfect gift, then go off to Belks. They've been coming for the last 6 years!

Then there is the 80 year old gentleman that has been shopping with us since our Middle Street days (1989-1996). He always looks for a unique container for his gifts then proceeds to fill it up with carefully selected items for his wife. It's always fun to see what he has chosen. He says "Carolina Creations is the only place I shop!"

The child that we can't even see reaching over his head to put his gift for his Mom on the counter, then the hand coming up again with the $5 to pay for it.

We have wives that tell us how happy they are that we're open our regular hours on Christmas Eve. "It used to be the only place open on Christmas Eve was Eckerds Drug Store - so that's where my gifts all came from!"

Every year we hear - I should have started my shopping here!

But our all time favorite, which we've heard several times today - Our kids just arrived and they want to come here first - even before they come to the house!!

There are quite a few people that like to shop on Christmas Eve - they say it adds a bit of excitement to it. Like clockwork we're super busy all day until 4 pm, then the streets empty out and we have just a hand full of customers between then and our 6 pm closing. I love that 2 hours! I look around and think about the season, all the happy faces, the carefully chosen gifts, the artists whose work we've sold and I wonder about what the next year will bring.

This week I've already been calling artists and requesting work for Valentines day. Our annual Valentine benefit is in just 3 weeks!!

We love our gallery, our gallery helpers, our cutomers and our artists, and Downtown New Bern, we're so grateful we found this beautiful town 23 years ago.

A View From the Porch

A beautiful day in December! Wish we could have stayed on the porch all day.

There were so many boats on the river... love our view.

A Christmas Card Retrospective Part 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting in 1990 (we arrived in New Bern in 1989) I began doing a Christmas card each year. I've been trying to find them all - as I do I'll post the images.

 

 

 

 

 

Tryon Palace, our claim to fame. The Colonial Capitol of the Carolinas and our first State Capitol

City Hall, Court House, Spider Lily Sculpture, Ada Mae

Our New Bern bear

Chart of the New River

Silhouette of our skyline

Santa in Bear Plaza on Middle Street

City Hall, Christ Church, Sudan Temple, Craven County Court House

 Many more to come!

Bird Sculptures

They were making their art long before Steampunk was a genre. 

 jim Mullan is a self-taught artist with an enthusiasm for nature and history.  As a teenager he became intrigued with old watches, vintage toys, and scientific instruments.  In the process of taking things  apart and putting them back together, he began pairing some of the old pieces with his favorite things found in nature, such as, bird, dragonfly and animal components to create one of a kind mixed media jewelry and assemblages.

Tori’s passion for antiques and jewelry began as a child.  Her inspiration was her father, a jeweler and antique watch collector.  While working in his jewelry store she became interested in the vintage stones and spare parts that her father used for repairing jewelry and watches.  She set her sights on designing jewelry and started creating unique one of a kind earrings and bracelets. She met Jim in 1985 at a show and they soon discovered that they shared many of the same interests in old watches, jewelry and antiques.

The couple combined their individual talents and formed a partnership in work and in life.  

 Here are a few of the pieces we just received from them!

To see more or to purchase click here!

Some pottery i've just finished

I've been lucky this year that we have a lot of help at Carolina Creations so I've been able to stay home on my regular days and continue to work.

For the past many many years I've been at Carolina Creations every day from Thanksgiving through January 1. By the time Christmas got here i would be sick and exhausted. Not this year!!

I am going in every day from 6-7 and am there my regular days Tues Thurs and Sat. So, I'm not totally taking off, you can still find me there.

These are some of the pieces I've done this week. Click here for more info.

Clay Body Parts

Spent the day making body parts with my friend Justine.

She made three heads to my one but it was fun!

 

Mike Rooney

Our friend Mike Rooney was in town this week and painted these two pieces for us.

Beautiful!

For more information shoot us an email.