The Tidewater Gallery is located in the quaint and picturesque town of Swansboro, an historic coastal fishing village situated in Southeastern North Carolina along the Intercoastal Waterway. In one of a series of articles written about coastal towns in the South, Southern Living Magazine stated that the Tidewater and Salt Marsh Galleries are a 'must see' during your travels to the Swansboro area.

Tidewater Gallery represents the work of regional and nationally known artists working in oils, watercolors, and photography. The gallery collection also includes contemporary and antique prints as well as a unique selection of mouth-blown glass, one-of-a-kind ceramics, stone, bronze and metal sculpture, hand-made jewelry, and note cards.

The gallery prides itself on representing the internationally known painter, Margaret M. Martin, whose elegant watercolors grace homes and offices around the world. In addition, the gallery is equally pleased to show the expressive and colorful nature theme oils of Dianne T. Rodwell as well as those of Nancy Orcutt, which depict the local and sometimes vanishing landscape of North Carolina.

Tidewater Gallery alsorepresents the award winning photographer, Larry McDonald. McDonald's black & white fine art photography captures the many moods of the coastal environment. Also featured are the aerial color photographs of George Mitchell whose images are widely known around North Carolina's coastal region and have long been recognized for their beauty.

Custom framing with an emphasis on craftsmanship is available. Choose from a large selection of frames and quality materials at reasonable prices.

The Tidewater Gallery and Salt Marsh Gallery share the same location. Summer hours, which begin in May and run through August, are: Tuesday - Saturday, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. September through December our hours are from 10 am - 5 pm, Wednesday - Saturday. The galleries are open in January to March on Saturdays only, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Other times available by appointment by calling 910.325.0660.

Salt Marsh Gallery opened in 1994 as a carving studio and a venue to showcase the work of Dennis Del Mauro, carver of traditional shorebirds and waterfowl. All carvings in the Gallery are carved by hand, often with the use of antique tools.

Del Mauro's carvings are all recent, despite their antique appearance, and the method of construction, tools, and materials are all historically accurate. Traditional materials... White Cedar and oil-based paint are used; the only power tool employed is a band saw to rough out the birds from sections of cedar plank.

Occasionally, inspiration for Dennis' work comes from studying the works of the famous carvers from along the Atlantic coast... Crowell, Bowman, the Cobbs, and the Verity... each of whom brought something different to the art form. Dennis' intention for his own work is to show a strong traditional influence fused with contemporary line and form. From start to finish he has a concept in mind for each work... the objective being that form, paint, and finish work together to give the piece cohesion.

Some of Dennis' work is intentionally quite primitive, other pieces more detailed, yet each work is an attempt to capture the look, feel, and artistry of those traditional gunning 'tools' used by wildfowlers for the past 150 years. Besides the work on display in the gallery, Dennis will occasionally accept commissions for a particular piece or species. For more information on the artist see the March/April 2003 and March/April 2004 editions of 'Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine' or the website for the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum.

articles:
March/April 2003 Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine

March/April 2004 Hunting and Fishing Collectibles Magazine