Two-and three-dimensional art sculpt a portrait at Roanoke Island Festival Park’s Art Gallery December 4-29 showing how nature influences art. Exhibiting artists, Kitty Dough and Jim Fineman, combine painting, drawing, basket-making and ceramic arts for the final show of the year. An opening reception will be held on Sunday, December 5 from 2-4 p.m. The show can be viewed Mon-Fri 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Nature reverberates through Fineman’s clay and natural fiber creations. He forms a variety of stoneware vessels such as bowls, plates, mugs, lamps, planters, jars, vases, lanterns, votives, colanders, pitchers, honey pots, crocks, jugs, birdhouses, oil lamps, candleholders, soap dishes, fountains, and clocks. He also creates ceramic pins, earrings and necklaces.

Each clay form has an expressive quality brought about through carving, hand-building, wheel throwing and the use of earthy or rich blue and green glazes. Decorative nuances are created through painted patterns, leaf imprints, carving and appliqués. He crafts baskets from vines gathered on Roanoke Island. Reed and sea grass are woven to produce traditional baskets. Onion and garlic baskets are his specialty. He also fashions larger, egg and potato baskets.

Through his courses at College of the Albemarle and the John C. Campbell Folk School Fineman found inspiration to experiment with new materials and techniques. The results were a variety of baskets created with indigenous materials. He creates at his studio on the north end of Roanoke Island.

Kitty Dough’s art is a natural compliment to the clay and reed work as it features botanicals and images of creatures using colored pencil, watercolor, graphite and pen and ink. “My work has always gravitated towards animals,” she says “The botanical studies support that work by placing the animal in the correct environment.” At first, plants seemed daunting to Dough but through observation and illustration, they opened a door into a larger world. “Now I have twice as much to draw,” she continues.

Armed with an arts education and a botanical illustration certificate through the North Carolina Botanical Gardens, Dough uses her expertise as a media technician at North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.

For more information, call (252) 475-1500 or email FestivalParkInformation@ncdcr.gov.