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Gallery Talk with the Pros – Paths to Painting: Artists & Their Journeys

May 15 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Event Series (See All)
AwardsCeremony 0663

🎨 Gallery Talk – Paths to Painting: Artists & Their Journeys

Event: Gallery Talk / Storytelling Session
Date: Friday, May 15, 2026
Location: New Bern, North Carolina
Venue: Festival Gallery / Exhibition Space

Featured Artists:

  • Durre Waseem
  • Rokhaya Waring
  • Fred Jackson
  • Katie Dobson-Cundiff
  • Pearl Horng

Theme

“Paths to Painting”
Compelling stories of how artists arrive at their creative lives—through family, mentorship, and unexpected journeys.

What this talk explores

This session brings together artists with very different paths—yet a shared commitment to creating art.

Artists shaped by family & early influence

  • Durre Waseem – Raised in a creative family, later earned a Master’s degree from Punjab University and taught before continuing her evolution as a painter.
  • Rokhaya Waring – Inspired by her French mother, her upbringing included daily sketching, music, poetry, and a life rich in observation.
  • Fred Jackson – Sketched landscapes alongside his artist father, later building a 30-year career in landscape architecture before becoming a full-time painter.
  • Katie Dobson-Cundiff – Learned directly from her father, a professional illustrator, gaining early exposure to fine art fundamentals.

Artists with a “double life”

  • Pearl Horng – Balances life as an ER physician with her work as a professional painter, pursuing a lifelong passion for art alongside medicine.

đź’¬ Why attend

  • Hear personal, behind-the-scenes stories from working artists
  • Discover how different life paths shape artistic voice
  • Get inspired by journeys that are anything but linear
  • See how passion for art can persist—and thrive—through any career

This gallery talk offers something deeper than technique—it’s about why artists create, and how their life experiences shape the work you see on the walls.

EXPLORE ALL THE DAILY TOPICS IN THE LECTURE SERIES.

This is your chance to ask questions to last year’s top award winners and jurors:

• How are artists chosen?
• What criteria are considered by the selection jurors in reviewing applications?
• What award selection criteria does the award judge use?
• How does the organization decide on the featured artists for their selection process?
• How do award winners prepare themselves for competitions?
• What do artists look for when they first visit the communities they’re going to paint?
• What personal obstacles do artists overcome to produce their best work within the event guidelines?
• What do artists look for when choosing three competition paintings?
• What should people consider when building their own collections?
• How does an artist decide what they want to paint?

NC Plein Air Team Leaders and past award winners will be answering these and other questions daily from noon to 1 p.m. at the Exhibition Gallery.

Details

Venue