I decided to become a metalsmith while traveling the country. At that time I discovered the beautiful stone called Picture Jasper and wanted to make jewelry from it. In 2006 we settled on the Outer Banks where I attended the College of the Albemarle Professional Crafts: Jewelry Program. My jewelry has been influenced by my deep love of nature, whether it be from the Delaware Valley where I grew up, our years on the road, or the beautiful Outer Banks.  www.kdhcooperative.com/Georgia_Dale_Griffiths.html

Jean Skipper is a mixed media jewelry artist from rural North Carolina.  Her jewelry is created from solid copper, brass, sterling silver, and other vintage treasures.  Each word on her jewelry is hand stamped one letter at a time; she sees possibilities and history in the ordinary; and she loves to repurpose things.  This gives her jewelry a whimsical and sentimental feeling. 910-528-1109, jeanskipper@jeanskipper.com, www.jeanskipper.etsy.com, www.jeanskipper.com

In my own work, I have always been drawn to color and purity of line. I love colored gemstones and combining them with sterling silver and 14k gold.  I like shapes and lines to overlap to give a satisfaction to the design. I think that jewelry should not be bought to complement an outfit, but that an outfit should be found to complement the jewelry.  I also have a line of jewelry I call “KiDoodles”. I make one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry from children’s drawings.  (252) 202-4672  joy@kidoodles.com   www.kidoodles.com

John Wharton started visiting the Outer Banks in 1998 and moved to Ocracoke in 2004.  He enjoys creating small jewelry pieces, mostly earrings and necklace pendants, using local shells and sand.  He also uses fresh and fossilized sharks teeth from North America and Morocco and likes explaining the reason for the different colors, ranging from white through beige to black.  john1517@yahoo.com

The process of creating sea glass is strangely similar to what occurs with diamonds, only in reverse! Diamonds, for instance, are products removed from nature and then refined by man...authentic sea glass is taken from man and slowly refined by nature! Every shard used in my jewelry is personally collected along the Outer Banks of North Carolina and then hand-crafted in Sterling silver to feature it in its own one-of-a-kind creation.    pk@seasandandhand.com   www.SeaSandAndHand.com

Gissette enjoys living and making jewelry on the Outer Banks. Mother Ocean plays a big part in her inspiration. She enjoys bringing out the creative side of people. (252) 924-0003  littlepumpkinseed@hotmail.com

I have been a long time resident and volunteer for Ocracoke's National Park Service. Born in Kentucky , student of nature and drawing I was inspired by Ocracoke's wild beauty. I made my home here with my husband Don and our Airedales. Seeing the wild pony herd, birds, and turtles is a focal point for my many paintings and prints. For me each day becomes a new adventure in my life and art.

Lena is a North Carolina artist whose realistic style features wildlife, coastal scenes and portraiture.  She has been a featured artist for the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum, The NC Seafood Festival and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.  She has received many local, national and international awards for her art.  (252) 393-2262  ennisfree@earthlink.net  www.artoflenaennis.com

Douglas Hoover, a North Carolina artist, is passionate about creating colorful paintings. After twenty years as a graphic designer, Douglas turned his passion of painting into a full time career. Inspired by the vibrancy of a cityscape or the natural beauty of the Outer Banks, he captures the moment in oils on canvas or with pastels on paper. His original paintings and reproductions are available at the Harborside Shop in Ocracoke and online at www.douglashoover.com. artworks@douglashoover.com, 336.250.5476

Ocracoker Elizabeth Parsons’ folk art is the main feature at Pamlico Gifts, her shop on Lighthouse Road.  Her paintings reveal the Ocracoke of yesteryear: sandy island lanes, historic homes, wooden boats on Silver Lake, and, of course, the Ocracoke Lighthouse.  Elizabeth also creates a variety of shell art items, produces original design T-shirts, and proudly sells the Cd, “Songs and Tales of Ocracoke Island,” recorded by her late husband, musician Roy Parsons.  Her works are available at the festival information booth.

Surf artist and photographer Daniel Pullen was raised on Hatteras Island, NC. His art and photography are fueled by his passion for surfing and love of God's creation. After working as a landscape and portrait photographer for several years, Daniel began his career as a surf photographer in 2004.  He began painting surfboards in 1999, and since that time his work has moved from boards to canvases, t-shirts, and large-scale murals.   daniel@danielpullenphotography.com  www.danielpullenphotography.com

Red Dawn Designs was established in 2003 by Dawn Gray, Outer Banks artist and surfer. She began to flourish on the island selling her original "surf inspired" paintings and prints which eventually spread up and down the East coast. Her portfolios include many murals, abstract and surreal art, along with an impressionistic twist of her own perception and style.  Dawn Gray has been featured on Fuel TV's "On Surfari" as well as in publications such as Eastern Surf Magazine, Line Up Surf Magazine and Surf Magazine.  (252) 347-8956  reddawn1982@yahoo.com  www.reddawndesigns.com

Gabriel Robinson is a painter and musician, recently relocated from the west coast, where he attended the California College of the Arts in Berkeley, CA. Primarily self taught, however, his paintings are inspired by nature, dreams, and song. Through his magical beings, landscapes, and creatures, he aims to evoke a sense of wonder and let the images speak for themselves.  bluelightscribe@gmail.com  www.bluelightscribe.etsy.com

My name is Megan Rubino.  I paint in watercolor and acrylic and tend to apply my mediums boldly. I am inspired by the “little things” and try to capture the essence of my subject matter.  I paint many local landscapes attempting to convey the good feelings they bring.  I also love traveling to other coastal and mountain towns to experience and recreate the local color.   I hope my pieces make you feel good and inspire you to embrace the little joys you experience daily! www.megrubino.com

I'm Chip Shackelford, raised in rural Eastern NC. Having been in the art field for years, I have found a creative way to utilize my surplus of scrap lumber, junk, glass, and other pieces around the house or on the side of the road. I give old fragments of scrap new life again in my unique creations. From hand cut boards and pieces of tin, to fine glass items and decorative pieces, my art is a fusion of mixed media and Outsider Art. 

I grew up in Bath NC. We spent a lot of time in Ocracoke and Nags Head in the summer, and I have been fascinated by the ocean and the creatures that live in it. I started painting about 10 years ago, and now it is my passion. I paint on windows, old boards, and furniture. All of my paintings are of Mermaids and other sea creatures. I use very bright colors and add texture to a lot of my work. flossiebelle1@yahoo.com

Jennifer Cromwell has been a resident of Hatteras Island all of her life. She has also loved photography for as long as she can remember.  Jennifer sees nature through a different lens by blending beautiful local scenery with interesting characters. Each picture takes on a personality of its own. She enjoys spending time with her family, shell hunting on the beach, and exploring nature. Each of these passions fuels her love of photography and gives her the inspiration to create the art you see today. buxtoncromwells@yahoo.com

After making pots for two years as a hobby, Chris became a full time potter in 2000.  She is largely self-taught and specializes in wheel-thrown and slab-rolled pieces which reflect the marine and botanical life in coastal North Carolina.  All of her pieces are decorative yet fully functional, and many can be found at art shows, Seagrove Pottery in Raleigh, and on her website.  (252) 393-7754  coconnell@ec.rr.com www.coastalcarolinapottery.com

Pete & Kim McWhirter are second generation potters in the Celo area of western North Carolina.  They learned the craft from Pete's parents, Jim and Kore, who began the business in Celo in 1963.  They specialize in decorative tableware and accessories.  (828) 675-4559  jamesmcw@yancey.main.nc.us

I have worked with stoneware for 15 years. My work is functional art and evolves from the use of the natural world to stamp, incise and imprint patterns into the clay and then glaze firing. Living in rural Virginia has also piqued an interest in horse-hair raku. The pieces are fired to around 1500 degrees and pulled from the kiln. The tail hair of a horse is laid upon the piece and it burns a squiggly pattern onto the pot.  piecepottery@gmail.com  www.piecepottery.com

I work with fiber to create unique accessories, such as purses, scarves, and wallets.  My designs are totally determined by the availability of material, mostly recycled fabric samples, used denim, fabric, leather, and magazines and they are one of a kind.  I also handcraft jewelry and wall art from recycled material.  I use discarded cans, tabs, computer keys/boards and used eyelets.  My purpose of creating my artwork is to use recycled material as much as possible to execute and create the one of a kind piece.  (252) 333-1418  creationsbyingrid1@yahoo.com  www.creationsbyingrid.artfire.com

My husband and I retired here to our home on Ocracoke in 2005 and finding lots of time on my hands, I started quilting and discovered I LOVED to sew. I found my passion designing and making handbags, totes, and wristlets of all styles and sizes. I also make hot/cold therapy pillows. My bags are labeled "OCRATOTES," since they are inspired and made here on our beautiful island.  dandrhahn@yahoo.com

I'm a nurse by profession, but I love beautiful fabrics and sewing. I design and make unique children's clothing. Each item is one of a kind and sewn by me personally. Many of the items I sew are reversible and all are easy care and kid friendly. Along with the clothes, I make a variety of accessories including, hair bows, hats, purses, and matching American Doll clothes.

Maribeth is a sewing instructor and makes and sells mostly fabric items, ranging from handy luggage tags to help find your bags at the airport (and keep track of your lawnchairs, golf bags, etc.)... to purses, totebags, and a folding shopping bag that keeps handily in a purse to use instead of plastic bags.  She also crafts a range of embroidered items...towels etc.  (757) 532-4412  ovtm@aol.com

Lorrie has been sewing all her life.  She started selling at craft shows when her daughter, Jennifer, was little and the Cabbage Patch Craze was the in thing.  She makes all kinds of doll clothes ie: Barbie, Ken, Cabbage Patch, and American Girl.  She will even take special orders.  540-207-4830  tvrndocent@aol.com  www.landjstreasures.webs.com

Vic and Ellen have been carving for 25 years.  They specialize in hand carved shorebirds, fish, and 'root-head'  creations.  They are one of the most prolific carving couples in the country and have won numerous awards in carving competitions up and down the East coast.  (252) 261-7842  eberg@outerbankswaterfowl.com  www.outerbankswaterfowl.com

William and Elayne Bush have been working on the NC and Virginia Lighthouses for over 20 years.  They photograph, sketch, design, and revamp their designs yearly to improve their product.  Although aging has slowed the quantity of their output, their quality remains.  (252) 473-5962  elayneswoodcrafts@yahoo.com  www.elayneswoodcrafts.com

Dock Lindley's love for art, woodworking, diving, underwater photography, fishing, and boating eventually brought him to become a self-taught wood carver known for his realistic representations of over forty species of fish. All carvings are his original design with attention to detail in full and half mounts. He opened his own business in 2000. Dock's carvings have been shipped across the globe and can be purchased through art shows and via his business web site. 910-238-0785 wlindley@papadocsart.com www.papadocsart.com

I hand paint fun and happy recycled furniture.  Lots of chairs, small tables, dressers, and things tourists can take home.  A graduate of VCU Fashion Design school and now an Ocracoke transplant with a passion for anything I can create with my hands, I now paint furniture with my sister.  Numerous pieces of mine have been sold through the Ocracoke Restoration shop.  jwhrich@mindspring.com

Ocracoke native William Nathan Spencer inherited the family talent for woodcarving and has passed it on to his daughter Cindy as well. Their shorebirds are crafted with graceful lines and hand-painted with fine attention to detail. Island visitors may often spot Nathan on his porch just a-rockin' and carvin'.

I have always loved taking something utilitarian and making it more interesting, even beautiful.  The primary element that all my shades and nightlights share is that I accentuate the basic metal structure of the frames.  I use copper, brass, or iron wire to wrap and decorate the frames of the shades, with linen or burlap liners incorporated in many of them.  My lamps are made using vintage bobbins from textile mills. (910) 391-5089  pandyfaux@aol.com   www.pandyautry.com

Chester Lynn is a native of Ocracoke Island, owner of Annabelle’s Florist & Collectibles. He has spent his lifetime learning about the local vegetation and rich history of the island. The artsy talent that comes with floral design, has progressed to shell wreath creations. Chester also has a deep love for Portsmouth Island and its history. Offering pictures & notecards of Portsmouth, the 2010 Homecoming and old Ocracoke. 252-928-4541