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In 1975 a group of citizens gathered at Mollie A. Fearing’s house and started a nonprofit, originally called the Sea and Sounds Arts Council, to bring cultural arts programming to Dare County, and Mollie was its first president.

Fifty years later, Dare Arts has announced a call for entry for the 28th Annual Mollie Fearing Memorial Art Show, which celebrates Mollie’s life and her vision to support the arts in our community.

“My family is so pleased that what started as a grassroots effort to bring music and dance to the children of the Outer Banks has blossomed into what Dare Arts is today,” said Mollie Fearing’s daughter Grizelle Fearing. “My mom would be so proud of the work that Dare Arts is doing to bring the arts to so many. The nonprofit is growing and evolving every year, and the 50th anniversary celebration year should be a banner one!”

Artist Fay Davis Edwards will judge this year’s Mollie Fearing Memorial Art Show. Edwards centers her work on environmental concerns and climate change as it relates to the coast. She works across disciplines in painting, photography, installation and projection. In addition to her studio practice, she teaches painting workshops nationally. Her work has been included in exhibits at the Institute of Contemporary Art (Portland, ME), SAB at UMass (Amherst, MA), Telluride Arts (Telluride, CO), and the Imperial Center for the Arts (Rocky Mount, NC). She earned her BFA from East Carolina University in Greenville and her MFA from Maine College of Art & Design in Portland.

“It is such an honor to be chosen as the judge for this year’s Mollie Fearing Memorial Art Show,” said Edwards. “It’s not only an opportunity to review what I know will be a rich and diverse collection of artwork, but also incredibly special because Mollie was a part of my family. Fifty years ago her love of the arts was one of the key factors in establishing what is now Dare Arts, and it also helped me pursue my own artistic career. I know she would be so pleased to see the works on display each year, and I really look forward to seeing all of the entries.”

Artists wishing to participate in this year’s exhibition can find a prospectus and sign up for a specific time to drop off their work online at DareArts.org/molliefearingshow.

The 28th Annual Mollie Fearing Memorial Art Show, known for showcasing vibrant, eclectic artwork, will open at the Dare Arts Gallery in downtown Manteo with a special reception at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 4. The reception is free and open to the public.

As a part of their 50th anniversary celebration, Dare Arts’ staff is working with the Outer Banks History Center and Mollie’s daughter Grizelle to curate a special display to honor Mollie that will be a part of this year’s show.

After the opening, the show will be on display in Dare Arts Courtroom Gallery during normal gallery hours from May 6 through May 31. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Businesses interested in sponsoring the 28th Mollie Fearing Memorial Art Show awards should contact Dare Arts executive director Jessica Sands at DareArtsInfo@gmail.com.

Show sponsors include the Don & Catharine Bryan Cultural Series, Mollie A. Fearing & Associates and Jane Webster.

For more information about the show, go to DareArts.org/molliefearingshow or call 252-473-5558.

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