The Outer Banks Voice – COA Fine Arts Student Show at Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery

By Mary Ellen Riddle | Outer Banks Voice on November 8, 2025

By Mary Ellen Riddle | Outer Banks Voice

A visual explosion of creativity is on display through Dec. 2 at Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery as part of their fifth annual College of the Albemarle (COA) Fine Arts Student Show.

Surface + Depth, featuring artwork by first- and second-year COA students in the Visual Arts Program, was produced under the tutelage of Christina Weisner, Patrick Berran and Heidi Brooks. “The goal of the exhibit is to give students the opportunity to show their work outside of COA to the community at large,” says Weisner, an Associate Professor at the college. “Simultaneously, COA gets the opportunity to promote our Visual Art Program to the general public.”

The bar for participating in the show was high, with the art chosen through jury selection.

“Each piece reveals the visible marks of process – lines, textures, and gestures – while inviting viewers to look beyond the surface toward the ideas and explorations that lie beneath,” says Weisner.

The exhibit features an eclectic mix of two- and three-dimensional drawings, paintings sculptures, mixed media pieces, and collages. Ten students are participating with a total of 22 works on display.

The artists are enrolled in the Painting, 3-D Design, Drawing and 2-D Design classes so the viewer gets a taste of the variety of creative modalities from which the students can draw.

The students use a variety of mediums to create geometric designs to include a carefully folded paper geode about the size of a basketball where one can see both inside and outside. And lyrical pen and ink designs highlight steady hands and strong composition skills.

“I’m always impressed with the variety of media like the window screen,” says gallery director Sharon Whitehurst. Through the hands of Olivia Lilliston, an ordinary household screen is transformed into a lyrical botanical.

The works tap into emotions ranging from the playful to the serious. Picture a dangling, colorful chain of rolled up newsprint titled Milepost by Milepost made from the local Milepost magazines and fashioned into art by Piper Allison.

Imagine a chalk pastel painting driven by moody color and rich shading techniques. Created by Emmanuel Morgan, the work features three powerful and artfully placed headshots of the Statue of Liberty.

Glenn Eure’s Gallery has a long history showcasing both emerging and accomplished artists says gallery owner, Pat Eure. This includes years of presenting work by students in grades K through 12 in an annual January exhibit.

For Weisner, the benefits include exposure to what COA offers in the arts.  ‘We are very excited to have the Early College on the Dare Campus and want students to know that they can get the full Associate in a Fine Arts Degree from the Dare campus,” she says

To learn more about the COA fine arts degree program go to Associate in Fine Arts in Visual Arts | College of The Albemarle

Glenn Eure’s Ghost Fleet Gallery, 210 East Driftwood Street, Nags Head. Open: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.