NC Plein Air Festival Painting Location Guide

NEW BERN

Places to Paint and Other Information

Your base is the Farmer’s Market 421 South Front Street for parking and bathrooms and your art gallery. Your contacts are Kippy Hamond and Annalee Ash along with volunteers to assist you if you need information or some help with anything.

New Bern is truly a walkable downtown. Water views are everywhere and absolutely beautiful any time of the day or night. We have 300 years of history, architecture, and newly painted bears all around town by local artists. We have 58 bears, our town mascot and namesake. So now you know a bit about bear town let’s get real friendly and get to the most important housekeeping problems where to pee and park first.

TAKE A GREAT WALKING TOUR OF DOWNTOWN

Parking on most city streets is a 2 hour limit and a $25 fine, Monday thru Friday 7:30-5:30pm. 3 Public Parking Lots: Black Bear 409 New Street, 421 South Front Street and 218 East Front Street. Public Rest Rooms are located at the Welcome Center 223 Pollock Street, Union Point Park 221 East Front Street, Way Station corner of George Street and Pollock Street, History Center 529 South Front Street head for the Café called Lawson’s Creek. Also a really good place to have lunch. BP Gas Station 300 E Front Street, open 24 hours a day. Good to go to for a quick pit stop also has a beer cave in case beer or wine is a necessity. It’s an in town gas station.

There is a walking sidewalk path all around the perimeter of town. Go out the front door of FM and take a left next you come to a sidewalk by the RR track. It takes you to the Grand Marina and Double Tree Hotel by Hillton. Walk around the high rises blocking your view. Then keep walking and you will see the draw bridge and the Trent River next to the Convention Center and a tall sculpture and a bear. Walking under the bridge brings you to Union Point Park. It’s usually busy there. But look at the views and the 3-tiered gazebo. Go past the people feeding the sea gulls and the ducks. See the hotel, you have to go around it. Take the next right and then the next left and see Persimmons Restaurant on the water. You can walk around it and the small marina. Keep walking and you can see the town of Bridgton across the river and another marina. Then you will walk into a neighborhood of truly southern architecture. There is a small park at the end of every street. Great place to paint.

Jeff Markowsky

Downtown New Bern has 4 blocks of stores, restaurants, bars, and art galleries. Not to miss: Mitchell’s Hardware 215 Craven Street, great historical old school hardware store. It is so fun to go there. If you need hardware for your easel or duck tape, it is the go to place.

POLLOCK STREET, PAINT ANYWHERE

Pollock Street starts at the water near Persimmons Waterfront Restaurant crosses East Front Street and ends at First Street then crosses over into Trent Blvd. Here are all the places you can paint that are most excellent: Tryon Palace, 529 South Front Street, has 5 formal gardens inside the palace grounds, $10 to get into the gate for a garden pass – has 4 formal gardens and houses outside the palace grounds that are free. Parking is on Eden Street, open 10-5pm but outside gardens are open till 8pm. Head down the street going east is the back entrance to NB Historic Society on the left, has nice garden, and Aerie B and B nearby. Moving on down the street to Pollock and Middle street is the Prayer Garden on the corner, the Old Theater building, Birthplace of Pepsi, Baxter’s Clock, Christ Church – has a great courtyard and church bells, New Bern City hall and Clock Tower, it chimes– spectacular at night. Craven and Pollock Street has 5 stunning B and B’s as well as a restaurant in a historical house, the Welcome Center is located there too.

HISTORIC DISTRICTS

Downtown Historical DistrictVictorian mansions, Federal- style and Greek revival restored to their original splendor. Boundaries are George Street, Queen Street, East Front Street, South Front Street. Ghent DistrictGhent Street to Eighth to Trent to First street. Riverside – Dunn Street to National to Court Street to River Drive to Craven.

Andreeva

Deliece Blanchard

PAINT THE PARKS

New Bern has 27 city parks. Listed are our favorites.

Union Park – 210 East Front Street - the heart of the city has 3 tiered Gazebo, waterfront, mature trees, view 2 bridges small one opens coming into the city and bathrooms. Civil War Battle Field - 300 Battlefield Trail, beautiful well maintained trails, very magical place. 33 acres of wooded trails throughout park. Outside of town on Hwy #70 south. Head for the Taburnia Development. Latham- Whitehurst Nature Park - 1905

Broad Creek Road – one of our favorite parks to go to paint, very beautiful and it has a mature collection of beach trees. Walk is easy ½ mile to water with boardwalk and high gazebo on Broad Creek with marsh. 2 views of the creek. Martin Marietta Park - 700 South Glenburnie Road, has 3 large ponds, a canal to the Neuse River, 7 miles of trails. It was mine reclamation project reclaimed into city park It has great views of the sky if you want to paint clouds. In phase 2 of development. Shelter and bathrooms. Creekside Park – 1821 Old Airport Road – located in James City south of NB right next door to the airport. You can see small airplanes take off from the park. Drive to the very back of the entrance to the park. There you will find parking lot with bathrooms, boardwalk, and views into Brices Creek.

PAINTING MARINAS AROUND NEW BERN

Bridgeton Harbor Marina - 1101 North B Street - Its across the river in Bridgeton also check out the small park near-by. 3 docks of boats. Views of New Bern’s Cityscapes. Sunsets.

Duck Creek Marina and Boatyard - 699 Galloway Road, our favorite place to paint. Across the river too. Turn by Food Lion and follow the winding road to the end. Pretty place to paint. It is a working boatyard so be mindful of distance of the project boats.

NB Grand Marina Yacht Club - 101 Craven Street not allowed on the docks

Fairfield Harbor Marina -11033 Windward Drive-interesting

Eiseman

OTHER FAB PLACES TO PAINT

Union Train Station - 1009 National Avenue and Railroad cars, switching tracks - Dunn Street and National Avenue

Churches - We have a collection of churches in downtown too numerous to count or list but favorites are 300 year old Christ Church, George Washington worshiped there back in the day, First Baptist – 239 Middle Street, Centenary United Methodist Church – 309 New Street, and Broad Street Christian Church – 802 Broad Street.

Cupolas - Look up they are everywhere downtown.

Nocturns and Sunsets - Space between Outback Steak House and Bridgeton Hotel behind the pond is a big chunk of concrete, climb up on that and you have your own stage. Oriental Harbor, Fairfield Marina, Bridgeton Marina and Park

Bear Plaza - 2302 Middle Street Carved Bears gateway into back side of downtown buildings and into Craven Street many facades to paint, outdoor Morgan’s Resturant, also alley with black crane fountain to the left called James Reed Lane, across from Christ Church entrance.

Gruman F-11A Fighter Jet - Lawson Creek Drive – 1309 Country Club Road. Cypress Trees and Views of New Bern’s Cityscape.

Jewell

Rehak

RAINY DAY PLACES TO PAINT

Kind of Blue - 919 Broad Street, Jeffery Cheek and Anne Marie Hodrick two designers with 10,000 feet of building space of antiques, ultimate antiquing experience for those who love vintage finds! Anne Marie asks that you have a drop cloth under your easel and she also said there is an overhang on the front of the building if you want to paint outside.

Pinky’s Pub – 218 Middle Street, open 7 days a week. (252) 631-8899. Pub with a low key atmosphere, an unpretentious spot to relax and meet friends. Your home away from home with friendly conversations and a sense of community. Call before you go to see if you can come.

Across the street is Michaelé Rose at Studio M - 217 Middle Street, Glass store front and you can paint her hanging stained glass pieces or go inside and see her crystals collection, she is a master stained glass artist and exceptionally creative as well as a clay handler. 252-626-0120. Next door to her is Cypress Hall.

R James

Tomova

Jewell

ORIENTAL

Quiet fishing village sailing destination. Home to more boats than people and 950 people live in the village proper. It is NC’s Sailing Capitol, great place to sail or learn how to sail on the east coast. There are 3 Creeks, 9 Marinas to explore plus dragon eggs, dragon sculptures and two dragons. Hope they are sleeping now. The town has a dragon burn effigy every year to get rid of anything that was negative from last year for the New Year. They also celebrate old New Year with a Chinese Dragon Dancing in the streets and New Years Eve with the town dragon you have to touch for good luck. The harbor is the main event all kinds of boats coming and going and a working fish house. The Bean, the coffee shop, usually rates boats from the front porch how people dock at the town dock. At the Wildlife ramp is great sunsets, three creeks come together there. The town has natural beauty everywhere you look and a mix of stately homes along the river and cottages. ”Smell the sea, and feel the sky. Let your soul and spirit fly into the Mystic” – Van Morrison

Eiseman

PLACES TO PAINT

Duck Pond – Marsh with 3 ponds starts to the left of the Bean then to the area right behind the Bean and Gallery take a walk up the street through the live oaks and to the left is the first pond with views, then cross the street is the second pond and looking east is a cottage with pond in the back and more live oaks at the corner of the property.

South Avenue - Best views in town. Lots to paint there. Small parks dot this street, perfect for your easel.

Jennifer Roe’s Front Porch – 504 South Avenue, Lucky you, artists are welcome to paint on her porch. Best view in town. Lots to paint there.

Bow to Stern Boating Center – 290 Blackwell Point Loop Road, Sailing School Camp and Rentals and many small sailing boats and Marina.

Town Dock Bathrooms are behind Toucan Restaurant, follow the boardwalk past the Tiki bar (see the naked breasted mermaid holding a NC parrot both extinct, bear drinking dragon and Peepers in the forest at the Tiki Bar look up) go past the fuel dock to the left is a raised bath house go up the steps. Town Hall - 507 Church Street. Bean – coffee shop next to the gallery in the harbor.

Smith

Laurino

Jiang

PLACES TO PAINT

Lou Mac Park – 504 South Avenue corner of Freemason Street and South Avenue.1/2 acre in town on the Neuse River banks. Has great morning light and sunrise or evening sunset. Known for it’s dancing chairs never in the same place the next morning. This park has fishing pier, wooden boardwalk, Sunday morning church, picnic tables and chairs. Best views of river and sail boats navigating the ICWInner Coast Waterway. Across the street is the Community Labyrinth a gift from the United Methodist Church used for meditation and prayers. In this world you can get lost in a maze but in a labyrinth there is only one path and no dead ends, so you can’t get lost or stuck. At Christmas the labyrinth is lite with candles. You may also find some painted rocks in the rock border. Mature live Oaks to amaze you and paint with views out to the river and a bench. If you walk the path you may find answers to life’s questions or spiritual transformation. It is sacred space and is a map of the healing journey.

Endurance Seafood – 501 Oriental Road- just over the bridge and to the left. The real deal, Keith Bruno, Commercial Fisherman and fresh fish dealer.

Oriental Bridge - view from the top on a clear day you can see for miles. Only good for a picture from the top of the bridge.- Pecan Grove has a sea of sailboats in a private harbor and in the summer is surrounded by a corn field. Right behind Brunos.

Marinas – 13 marinas in Oriental area, listing a few of the best to paint at :Sea Harbor Yacht Club, - Picturesque, Oriental Marina and Inn in the main harbor, Green Bay Marina great view of the bridge small boat harbor, shelter. No bathrooms. Sailcraft Marina. Gazebo, pool, bathrooms , lots of blue water boats next to a working boatyard in the same place, line up of boats on the hard.

Gosch

OTHER PLACES TO PAINT

Teaches Cove Road - Working sheds, red barn and few other sheds.

Joe Himbry Waterfront Park – Bayboro off Hwy#55 turn onto Hwy# 304 on the right. Fishing boats off the Bay River, marsh, bridge, bathrooms, boardwalk. Sometimes there is a guy working on repairing nets on the other side of the docks.

IF IT’S RAINING IN ORIENTAL

We have places picked out for you to paint in case of rain come back to the gallery for advice and locations.

NC Ferry – Minnesott Beach Hwy #306 ride the free ferry back to New Bern or Beaufort’s backroad Hey#101.

Lovett

BEAUFORT

Founded in 1709 by the British and inhabited by sailors, privateers, fisherman, soldiers and planters, the active sea trade allowed Beaufort to be connected thousands of miles away. The town, however, remained isolated by land keeping its historic appearance intact. The charming town and streets remain as they were laid out in 1715.

Eiseman

PLACES TO PAINT

Beaufort Historic Site - 100 Turner Street Block. Welcome Center and Tourist information. This is your base and it has an Art Gallery, Apothecary, red double decker bus, small maze, vegetable garden, jail, and three other historic houses. It will also be the site of the Pop- Up Show and bathrooms. Also, the NC Maritime Museum Pirates exhibits and maritime life if you want to find out more about pirates located on Front Street. Your contact people will be Patricia Sykes and Deb Burrington.

Small Alley Garden – Across Turner Street

Harvey Smith Water Craft Center – This is a gem of a place to paint if you love to paint boats. Watch wood workers build boats on site and around back are some examples of boats they construct. To the right of the building and up the steps is a viewing room. There is a small park besides the building you can paint Taylors Creek with boaters all day long.

In front of Dockhouse, Dockhouse Restaurant, Public Restrooms -Turner and Front Street.

Dobson-Cundiff

Baker

PLACES TO PAINT

Front Street – There is everything to paint on Front Street running all the way from the roundabout to the Wildlife Boating Access Ramp with live oak trees all along Taylor’s Creek, the town docks, all kind of boats, restaurants, shops, historical houses, and private homes. Across Taylor Creek is the Rachel Carson Nature Reserve with a herd of wild horses that can often be seen across the Creek.

Ferry, Wild Ponies, Atlantic Ocean – For $10 you can take the Ferry to Carrot Island to paint the horses living on the island. Take the Island Adventure ferry located on Front Street.

Best Streets to Explore and paint houses are Ann Street and Orange Street.

Town Creek Marina and Bridge – 114 Town Creek Drive, (Over to the right on the way to the marina is a marsh to paint it’s hidden by the concrete bridge before you get to the turn to the marina), There is a wonderful place to paint sunsets plus a view of the high-rise bridge.

Rhoades

Smith

OTHER PLACES TO PAINT

Calico Creek, Morehead - 22nd Street Boardwalk on both sides of the street by the bridge – tidal creek sometimes you get water and sometimes black oyster beds. Morning and evening light.

Atlantic Beach – take the Atlantic Beach Causeway Bridge in Morehead, go straight at the stop light. Beach houses, parking lot close to the surf. Oceana Pier – look for the signs. Fort Macon – two entrances first one is the beach has bath house and bathrooms and second one is the beach and Fort. Walking trails, Maritime forest, and tidal marsh. The fort was active during the Civil War. Bathrooms are located at the Welcome Center. Two currents meet at the point. This is at Cape Lookout where they can’t get except by boat and it can’t be seen from Fort Macon. Sailors call it the washing machine.

Coastal Carolina Plein Air Paintersa Tour de Force

Painting is akin to being a doctor, there is always something new to learn that is fascinating. How do you make a painting from a flash of an idea? You learn to listen to the songs of spring, singing renewal melodies of life. There is a new adventure to discover outside your door. That’s why Coastal Carolina Plein Air Painters is a Tour de Force, we are something much bigger than our sum. No dues, no fees for being unplugged having an intense conversation with nature or getting the sense of place we are painting. We go Forest Bathing every Tuesday, just show up and paint.

Susan Cheatham, our originator of CCPAP, grew up in Monterey, CA. She spent most of her childhood outdoors enjoying exploring the land and ocean of the beauty of the area she lived in. Painting outdoors gives her that love of beauty and opens up all your senses to painting and fuels her passion for being outside. Susan started painting in Duke gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC when she was a single parent in 1973. She later got a degree in Landscape Architecture because she found out she didn’t like being stuck in the office all day. She had a love for people and designing the landscapes they worked or lived on. Fast forward to 2005 Susan was still painting part-time and she had moved from Raleigh to Eastern North Carolina. Attending a class in outdoor painting she was asked to take it over when the teacher had to leave for health reasons. That was the beginning of CCPAP, Susan took the students from the class and formed a group of plein air painters. At that time, she was also taking a pastel class and met Elenor McArver and asked her to join the group. Eleanor joined and has been part of the core group ever since.

We started taking plein air painting workshops from Susan Sarback, a California artist who had the school of Light and Color. She gave us the fuel to nurture our painting desires to keep painting outdoors. Eleanor is always sharing techniques and finding new hues for the group to try. We don’t have secrets. We share new ideas all the time. When we go out to paint, we have a lot of adventures and fun painting together. It is like going to paint with your people and they are your family. CCPAP also has all different levels of painting and expertise from beginner to advanced.

CCPAP does paints on many docks in many bays and beaches, adding farms, parks and all over our coastal landscape to the places we paint. Our group grew from one county to three counties. We love finding new places to paint, and we have been painting somewhere since 2005.

– Susan Cheatham, Founder of CCPAP.

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Susan Cheatham

Sue Henry

Eleanor McArver

Audrey Cushman