S H O R T S H O R T S • •
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH PAINTING FEATURED IN ONLINE EXHIBITION By Giovan Michael
THE impressionist paintings of Nicole White
Kennedy live somewhere between realms of
photorealism and warm memories of sum-mer
days. Her work captures the everyday
goings-on of Wrightsville Beach, and her subjects are real
people.
A little girl with a bright yellow cap excitedly pulls her
wagon on the sand, ready for the first day of summer. Two
young boys wade in tidal pools, seemingly at peace with
the world. A woman in an orange skirt that catches the
sunset looks out toward the viewer as if recognizing an old
friend. The playful way Kennedy poses her subjects evokes
Norman Rockwell, but her mastery of color and her ability
to balance light make the sunsets and washes of the ocean
seem like the work of Monet.
On May 20, 2020 Kennedy’s “Sea Spray” was recognized
by the National Oil & Acrylic Painters Society. The painting
is one of only 150 out of 1,500 entries accepted into NOAPS’
spring 2020 online exhibition. In the piece, Kennedy per-fectly
captures a sight familiar to any regular beachgoer at
Wrightsville: a young woman with a surfboard, just coming
in from a midday surf. From the shallow shore break to the
golden color of the sand, “Sea Spray” immortalizes one of
the best beaches in the world.
Sea Spray, 20 x 20 inches, oil on canvas.
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