Delmarva Art Expo returns, bringing dozens of artists to OC
OCEAN CITY, Md. – Photographers, wood-workers, painters, sculptors, and other artists showcased life on Delmarva through intricate art pieces. After taking a year off, organizers with the Delmarva Art Expo tell us, they were more than ready to welcome them back. “We need that not only for the artists but also for the customers who want the artwork on their walls,” says Susan Childs, promoter of the Delmarva Art Expo.
Childs tells us, they had over 30 artists showcase their work over the weekend bringing in over 800 guests to come and observe, appreciate and purchase the artwork.
However, she says she wants to continue to grow the expo. “One of the things I want to do as a promoter is to get the local people involved, get the local artist in Pittsville, Parsonsburg, and Ocean City, get them to have an outlet to be able to sell their artwork,” says Childs. She adds, “It’s hard to do artwork when you don’t have any place to get rid of it sell it, so this is that vehicle that hopefully we can make the show grow.”
A newcomer to the expo, Miles Moffit tells 47 ABC, he’s always loved working with his hands and wood. He says what started as a hobby, blossomed into a passion. “I just wanna put my own spin on it and this is a good outlet for me to express myself,” says Moffit.
Moffit owns a construction company and says during the winter he has quite a bit of downtime and needed some extra income. So he started crafting wood, and after a little encouragement from his friends, he chose to showcase some of his pieces at the expo. “I thought well, let me see where I stack up, get some ideas from the other vendors,” says Moffit. He adds, “I’m glad I did this, it’s a great experience and I’ll continue to do this show.”
Artists like Moffits are adding to the creativity of artistry by showcasing some unique pieces which were told, embody Delmarva. However, Moffit says he never considered himself an artist before the expo. “For some of these pieces, you don’t know what you’re going to do until you get started so a lot of times you just get a lot of stuff together and stare at it for a little while and the ideas start to come together. So it’s a good feeling when you finish it.” Moffit adds, “I just like working with my hands I work with wood and I just like to come up with concepts that no one else is doing.”
Meanwhile, a national award-winning nature photographer from Virginia, Bob Schamerhorn tells us, he has been behind the camera’s lens since he was 9-years-old. He went onto Virginia Tech for art and worked in the art field for years after.
He says the pandemic hit him hard like many other artists. “We have been just as brutally hit by the pandemic shut down just as many companies have,” says Schamerhorn. He tells us, to avoid unemployment, he worked on his book, added 200 species of galleries to his website, and of course, continue his passion. “Being alone in the woods with my camera was a good safe place to be,” says Schamerhorn.
Schamerhorn says, however, seeing all the vendors and artists out and about again gives him a sense of normalcy. He says being an artist comes with a lot of challenges, but they’re a resilient group. “With a lot of artists, there is a great act of bravery to do that to put your heartfelt work into and to put it on public display for judgment, good or bad it’s not an easy thing to do.”
Artists and organizers we spoke with all agree, it feels good to be back showcasing their passion, while also working together again, art enthusiasts and artists alike. “Meeting all the different artists and seeing how talented they are and the forethought behind it, and what they want to accomplish in the future,” says Childs. Schamerhorn adds, “It’s always kind of a magical thing out here on the Eastern shore and there’s just a great vibe in Ocean City.”
For more information on the Delmarva Art Expo, or how you can participate next year, click here.
Miles Moffit: Moffit Made Custom Creations.
Bob Schamerhorn: iPhotoBirds
