Showing posts with label North Carolina. Show all posts
Showing posts with label North Carolina. Show all posts

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Post 349: Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium, NC

Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium in NC

In late March, in April of this year (2024), a friend and I visited our friend Teresa at Harkers Island, North Carolina. We quickly made a list of things to do on this trip and the first check to mark off was the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium.

Another World Under the Surface

One of the world's most awesome things in God's creation is that there is so much we don't see, just under the water's surface. So to better get a picture of what we don't see in our air breathing life above water, our number one place to visit was the aquarium off the shore of Morehead City, NC. 

Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium is at 1 Roosevelt Blvd., Pine Knoll Shores, NC 28512

So over a couple of bridges we go - from Harkers Island, past Beaufort, through Morehead City, over to Atlantic Beach, driving toward the Emerald Isle, to arrive at the aquarium. 

https://www.ncaquariums.com/pine-knoll-shores

My friends Teresa and Debbie outside the Aquarium - the usual photos announcing "Wish you were here!...We ARE!!"

Debbie and I. The day started off cool but quickly warmed up although it was March 29th. And spring there, in NC, is several weeks ahead of us here, living in Northern Virginia.


So many great exhibits! Although I took a lot of pictures and I have a lot of them here, I won't let you suffer through the entirety of them.  

Where's a fishing pole when you need one? Looks like dinner to me.

Who do we see here?

Did anyone know that there was such a thing as a Giant Otter? That guy is taller than Teresa!


Prehistoric monsters.








One of my favorites is seahorses. This exhibit had a herd of them in there of different colors but this guy went out for a spin.






The last exhibit - and the largest had the big boys.







I had a guy once complain about a jellyfish painting that I had at a gallery. He said my "Jellyfish Hijinks" painting was all wrong, that jellyfish do not swim upside down. He thought that I had the painting on display upside-down. Well, I certainly thought about that guy when I saw the jellies in the tank and snapped this picture (above). So na-na-de-na-na to that guy!
"Jellyfish Hijinks" 8x16 Acrylic painting by Donna Liguria

We didn't get to see any ponies this trip, on Shackleford Banks or while we were in Beaufort having lunch at a restaurant, but we did see some dolphins playing. From Beaufort, directly across the water you can sometimes spot the ponies on Carrot Island - Rachel Carson Reserve area (Islands). 

I hope you enjoyed this post of the trip to see the sea creatures.
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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.


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Friday, January 26, 2024

Post 339: Pony Day at Shackleford Banks NC

Painting Name: Pony Day at Shackleford Banks NC

One day while visiting friends at Harkers Island, we took their boat out across the water to Shackleford Banks and I was delighted to get lots of pictures from the water (in view of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse) of many ponies. They walk along on the sand and dunes and often wade out into the water. 


SKU: 01B24ACG
Medium: Acrylic
Size: 20x20 Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas
Edition Year: 2024
Framed?: No

What Brought About this Painting?

My rendition of Shackleford Banks, North Carolina. and some of the ponies along the shore - and another often seen pleasure, some dolphins wandering the waterways.

Recently, I saw a couple of meme's with my friend that were labeled with the State Welcome Sign, "Welcome to North Carolaska" - because it was so cold up and down the East Coast. Funny. I'm looking forward to the warmer weather and visiting my friend again - more boating and photographs leading to more paintings!

Anyway, this one will probably not go on Etsy because of its size - but do check out my Etsy shop when you get a chance. I may get prints made for this eventually. https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com

Like it?
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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.


*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Friday, January 19, 2024

Post 337: Harkers Island, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, Marshes and the Ponies of North Carolina

Paintings of Harkers Island, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks, Marshes and the Ponies of North Carolina

In 2023 and already in 2024, my canvases have recreated some views and inspiration of the coasts of North Carolina. Here is a collection of paintings with the 'inspired by' of the several visits to my friend's new home in Harkers Island, North Carolina.

Big Blue Skies, Blue Water, Sand and More

Snapping pictures all day, that is what I did and do while visiting my best friend. Pictures of ponies on Shackleford Banks and in Beaufort, North Carolina. Pictures of ghost trees and marshes, Cape Lookout and across the water. The wildlife, the birds flying, the fish jumping, the occasional dolphin...I love it all. The iPhone or my other camera a FULL of inspiration. Upon getting home, the pictures get turned into paintings. 

Here is some of my inspired by the North Carolina Coast artwork.


"Lighthouse and Shackleford NC Pony" - 9x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas. A lone Shackleford Banks pony looks across the water to Cape Lookout. Prints are available on Etsy


"Mom, I Don't Want to Take a Bath" - 9x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; Cape Lookout Lighthouse and Shackleford Ponies


"Harkers Island NC" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; the view from Beaufort, NC with Harkers Island across the water to the right. Notice the new bridge?


"Ponies of Shackleford Island" - 12x16 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; also known as Shackleford Banks


"Wading Shackleford Pony" (SOLD) - 9x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas. Prints are available


"Harkers Island Magic" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas 


"Sandpiper Beach Bums" (SOLD) - 4x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas


"Beaufort, NC Marsh" - 8x8 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas


"Bottoms Up" - 4x4 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; is a swan doing a dive, butt up.


"Cygnet Fluff Baby" - 4x4 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; is a baby swan. I call these 4x4 paintings "bookcase art" because they make great small paintings that can sit on a table or shelf.


"Sea the Turtle" - 4x12 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas


"The Marshes of Harkers Island, North Carolina" - 16x20 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas; with the ghost trees in the background. The view was toward the new bridge. The painting and Prints are available on Etsy


My Mini 3x4 stretched canvas in Acrylics mini paintings of the 7 (maybe) most popular NC Lighthouse Series - 
1. "Ocracoke Lighthouse
2. "Old Baldy Lighthouse" 
3. "Cape Lookout Lighthouse" (SOLD)
4. "Bodie Island Lighthouse" 
5. "Currituck Beach Lighthouse"
6. "Oak Island Lighthouse"
7. "Cape Hatteras Lighthouse"


"Last Light Lighthouse" - 24x24 Acrylic on Gallery Wrapped Stretched Canvas is a side view of Cape Lookout with Shackleford Banks across the water and Harkers Island and a sunset off to the right.

I had some other "beach" mini paintings of beach inspiration and Harkers Island inspired. The annual Decoy Festival in early December brought on some mini duck decoy paintings.


Many of these are on Etsy and some do have prints available. I do have a lot of pictures to still review but I hope to get back to visit my friend - as soon as I can and the weather is warmer!

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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.


*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Post 335: Christmas at the Core Sound Museum, Harkers Island, NC

Christmas at the Core Sound Museum, Harkers Island, NC 

Harkers Island, North Carolina is the home to the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center, which is within sight of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Beginning on November 17, 2023 and running through December 31, 2023 is the 2023 Gallery of Trees.

What is the Gallery of Trees?

I recently visited a friend that had moved to Harkers Island earlier this year and so enjoy my time spent with dear friends that are extended family there. We rode around the island and viewed the wonderful Christmas lights decorating the homes as well as the light show outside of the museum. And we visited the museum again, to see the 2023 Gallery of Trees - honoring local businesses, organizations, and families.

Museum - Harkers Island
1785 Island Road | PO Box 556
Harkers Island, NC 28531
(252) 728-1500

Here are the trees featured all around the museum. Each tree has a story and my friend and I enjoyed looking at each and every one of them. 




































Teresa standing next to her neighbor's "arts" tree.



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Let me know if you like my paintings and if you need a handmade, original painting for yourself or as a gift for a friend or family member. If you want to commission me to do a painting for you, please contact me through this blog, on Facebook, My Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com, or go to Donna Liguria Art on Etsy at https://donnaliguriaart.etsy.com to shop my available Artwork.


*Thank you for visiting and remember to Share, to Follow, and please Comment!