Text and photos by Connie Leinbach
A desire to help fellow artists has spurred the opening of a new gallery on Ocracoke.
Owned by Lori Rich, Ocracoke Lighthouse Gallery, along Lighthouse Road in the shadow of the Ocracoke lighthouse, showcases driftwood art, porcelain sculptures and Lori’s sea glass jewelry, maple syrup and fig preserves.
A soft opening will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 25.
Lori, a silversmith, creates jewelry using beach glass she found mostly on Ocracoke.
“I find inspiration walking along the sandy beaches collecting sea glass, shells and other found items that I incorporate into my art jewelry pieces,” she said.
Rough, deep burgundy pieces are “fire glass,” she said.
“People will have beach fires and throw glass into them,” she said.
Some of the glass in these pieces is old since, as she said, she’s been collecting beach glass for 50 years.
Rich and her husband, Keith, spend four months each year in Vermont where they harvest maple syrup and work on their taxidermy. Lori specializes in fish and Keith waterfowl.
The shed, which houses their work, was going to just be for taxidermy but friends asked her if she would showcase their art.
So, three fourths of the space is devoted to a gallery, showcasing her jewelry and three artists from Belhaven.
Bill Hohl creates art from driftwood and makes porcelain sculptures. He created the shelves and display pedestals in the gallery. He was a multimedia artist for over 20 years and had his own gallery with his late wife in Seagrove, Randolph County. Since moving to Belhaven he has been concentrating his artistic talents towards driftwood art.
Some of Hohl’s late wife’s pottery also is displayed.
Buck Radcliffe finds interesting driftwood pieces and transforms them. He was a boatbuilder in the family business for many years and after a life-changing event decided to shift his talents towards Driftwood art.
Radcliffe has been collecting driftwood for many years and teamed up with Hohl to collect many types of driftwood cypress, oak and cedar among them. Radcliffe also created the shelves in the gallery from wood salvaged from old boats.
“Two years ago, I saw his work and really liked it and wanted to get him exposure over here,” Lori said.
Hohl’s and Radcliffe’s works are high-end, so Rich brought Dell Tolan on board with smaller tabletop sculptures and wall art from driftwood, some of which comes from all over the world.
There are many opportunities to buy carvings by island artisans, and Rich wanted to make sure her wood pieces don’t compete with local offerings.
In addition to preserving a person’s prize fish with taxidermy, she also restores old taxidermy.
The gallery is open by appointment by calling Lori at 802-282-8252.
