For the month of April, The Artists League of the Sandhills in Aberdeen will feature Sara Gray.

Gray is a charter member of the league and an active instructor in impressionist oil painting. She will often be on hand to discuss her work at the Exchange Street Gallery, the gallery at the Artist League.

Sara Gray was born and raised in Bucks County, Pa. Her interest in art began while she was a student at George School. She attended Guilford College in North Carolina for two semesters, but decided on a career in nursing. She graduated from the Hospital of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pa. She was a Cadet Nurse and spent the next few years working in surgery at the Sloan Kittering Hospital in New York City and Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia.

Gray married and moved to Wisconsinm where she raised three daughters. When the children were in high school, she returned to college, majoring in ceramics and minoring in watercolor. Gray taught pottery at the Bergstrom Art Museum in Neenah, Wis., The Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton and taught privately out of her studio for 20 years.

After retiring to North Carolina, Gray resumed her interest in painting. For several years she taught watercolor at Sandhills Community College, and she currently teaches oil painting at The Artists League of the Sandhills in Aberdeen.

Gray is a charter member and a past president of the Appleton Art Center in Wisconsin. This is her fourth one-woman show. She has studied with many fine artists such as William King, Jean Dobie, Judi Betts, Phil Austin, William Lawrence, Sister Thomasita, Frank Covino , Camille Prezwodik. Last year she learned how to paint with a painting knife from Susan Sarback.

Gray's paintings may be seen in the Exchange Street Gallery from noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday from April 1 until April 28. Gray always has some of her paintings hanging in her "Corner Studio" where she works at The Artists League of the Sandhills.

The League is located at 129 Exchange Street in Aberdeen. For information, call (910) 944-3979.