Brenda Bickta

Brenda has lived in Sneads Ferry for nine years.  She does acrylic paintings on canvas, beach glass in resin on glass, wooden mermaids, and shell art.  She has done several craft shows, and has had her work shown and sold at several stores in Sneads Ferry and Surf City.

Currently, Brenda is an at home artist and crafter, occasionally hosting crafting events in her home for friends.  Prior to moving to NC, she lived in Blandon, PA, where she mostly did paintings of flowers, butterflies and dragonflies.

Brenda has created three sculptures for Airlie Gardens’ Art Exhibits, including “PEASEBLOSSOM” squirrel sculpture, “HAREBALL” bunny sculpture, and “SQUIRTLE the PIRATE TURTLE.”

Evelyn Fischer

Evelyn grew up in the Piedmont region of North Carolina, and studied painting at UNC-Charlotte.  After graduating, she pursued a career as a textile artist, and designed woven fabrics for the home furnishings industry.

She has a lifelong interest in working with diverse artistic media.  The result is an eclectic artistic journey and a wide range of skills which include painting 3D work.

For the past five years, Evelyn has been selected to participate in Airlie’s Annual Art Exhibit.

She is a member of Wilmington Art Association, Coastal Carolina Clay Guild and Island Arts Council of Carolina beach, and participates in exhibitions, markets and festivals throughout the region.  Learn more about Evelyn’s work at evelynfischer.com.

Marilyn Kearney

Born in Robeson County, NC, Marilyn has expressed her creativity in various forms all her life.  Her artistic journey has taken her all over the country, and through various artistic media, culminating in her greatest artistic passion painting.  She began painting 35 years ago, taking art classes at her local library before moving on to private lessons in faux painting.  She quickly moved from student to teacher, hosting her own art classes at a local community college and the same library where she began painting.

In recent years as her artistry has evolved toward fine art, Marilyn has designed murals and applied faux finishes in homes along the East Coast.  She currently resides in North Myrtle Beach, SC with her husband and Cairn Terrier where she has most recently painted canvases featuring sea life that have been show in specialty shops and restaurants.

Brooks Koff

Brooks Koff “paints with glass,” creating unique Stained-Glass Mosaics that beg for a sunny window to catch and transform light into brilliant color! Unlike traditional stained-glass work, her pieces are created without the use of patterns, giving her freedom to fully explore color and design. For nearly twenty years, Brooks volunteered as an art teacher at her children’s elementary school, New Horizons. In 2004, she was invited to be one of the contributing artists to the Minnie Evans Sculpture Garden and Bottle Chapel in Airlie Gardens. She helped over 100 local students create the mosaic stepping stones that adorn the foundation and walkway into the chapel. She also created a tribute piece to Minnie Evans–a small mosaic wall around the back of the structure.

Her work has been featured in many local magazines – Encore, WILMA, Wrightsville Beach Magazine, SALT, and Haven (the Bald Head Island Magazine) – as well as highlighted on a nationally syndicated PBS show. She participates yearly in the Heart Art Show at the Cicada Metals Gallery, Art for the Masses, and the Spring Flea at the Brooklyn Arts Center. She’s an army brat and the self-proclaimed “well-adjusted middle child” from a family of eleven children! She and her husband raised their five children here in Wilmington—several of whom have grown up to be artists themselves.

Susan Tharin

Susan was given a stained-glass class as a birthday present in 1994 and she was hooked!  She established Airlie Art Glass on her dirt floor garage, doing mostly residential commissions and craft shows.

In 2001, Susan had the honor of meeting and becoming an apprentice to the world-renowned glass master, Mr. Rowan LeCompte.  She taught art camp at Wrightsville Beach Parks and Recreation for 15 years, and has participated in Poplar Grove’s Market, Wrightsville Beach Farmer’s Market, and several juried art shows.

Susan’s passion is to make one-of-a-kind unique art, incorporating nature themes, recycled, repurposed, and found objects all with a touch of whimsy.  One of her greatest achievements is to have passed down her love of art, the natural world and creativity to her two daughters.