The public is invited to join the members of the Artists League of the Sandhills in celebration of their 16th annual art exhibit and sale with a special added exhibit "Nothing Could Be Finer ..." featuring paintings that showcase the beauty of the "Old North State."

The members have been requested to include with their entries for the exhibit at least one painting related to North Carolina, either landscape, seascape or still life, in the medium of their choice. Paintings will be hung by artist, and their North Carolina painting will be easily identifiable by a special label.

The exhibit opens Friday, Nov. 12, with a wine and cheese reception from 6 to 8 p.m. and continues Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Exchange Street Gallery in Aberdeen. The exhibit will remain open through Friday, Dec. 17, with gallery hours of noon to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Nancy Yanchus, a longtime member of the League, is currently serving a second term as president and brings to the League many years of management and human resources experience. Yanchus has been painting for a number of years winning many awards and taking lessons from nationally recognized instructors. Her painting, "Carolina Morning," captures the majesty of the historic Carolina Hotel in Pinehurst and has been selected for the formal invitation for the exhibit.

Jude Winkley, currently serving on the board of directors, will be entering an oil painting of the Pisgah Covered Bridge located in Asheboro. It is one of North Carolina's two remaining covered bridges and was the location of 2009's Blairs Bridge movie. This is the second painting Winkley has completed of this bridge in the last few years.

Pat Halligan, who resides on a farm in Rockingham, is a fairly new member of the League and is serving as publicity chairperson. She will be submitting a painting titled "Rockingham Barn," a scene that is part of many of farming counties.

Caroline Love is an accomplished watercolorist and enjoys painting the coastal Carolina scenes with particular interest in the area lighthouses. A painting of the Hatteras Lighthouse is one of several small paintings Love will be exhibiting. Her studio space will also contain many more small Carolina paintings.

"Oak Island Lighthouse" by Barbara Sickenberger was painted on location when the Artists League sponsored a trip to Fort Caswell, an old Civil War fort at the current North Carolina Baptist Assembly.

Phyllis Arnold, another fairly new member of the Artists League, has lived in several areas of the state and loves to paint those beautiful landscape scenes from old bridges to memorial gardens of churchyards. A view of the old Sunset Beach Bridge, which recently made way for the new high rise bridge, is one of her paintings.

Ann Campbell, of the Seven Lakes community, has been a member of the League for all 16 years and also has taught art at the Sandhills Community College. She has a wonderful painting, "Among the Tall Pines," which is certainly characteristic of much of our state but particularly the Sandhills.

The painting of the Indian Shawl Dancer, by Betty DiBartolomeo, who is a Native American, reflects the heritage of the Indians living in many areas all across North Carolina.

"Inn at Iris Meadows," a watercolor by Deane Billings, captures the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Waynesville area of the state just past Asheville. Billings participated with a group of artists from the League on a plein air painting trip to that area.

"With the holiday season approaching, this is an ideal venue to find truly unique and beautiful pieces of art for gift-giving or for personal enjoyment," says a spokesman. "There will be more than 400 works of art by local professional and amateur artists and will include oils, watercolors, acrylics, pastels, colored pencil and mixed media in a variety of sizes and prices."

Admission is free and open to the public.

Pamela Swarbrick, winner of last years People's Choice Award, has donated a watercolor painting to be raffled. Tickets will be available during the weekend and the drawing for the winner will take place on Sunday, Nov. 14, at 3:45 p.m.

The Artists League is located at 129 Exchange St., in downtown Aberdeen, in a restored railroad warehouse building and contains 40 working artists' studios and classrooms for instruction.

Classes and workshops are open to members and nonmembers. Workshops feature nationally recognized instructors, and classes are given by prominent local artists.

For more information on the exhibit, workshops or classes, call (910) 944-3979 or visit www.artistleague.org.