‘Palustris: Celebrating Longleaf Through the Arts’

Founded by the Smithsonian Institution in 1968, GNSI is an active group of scientific illustrators, amateur artists, students, botanical/wildlife artists and those interested in art and the natural sciences.

They seek to communicate science visually and to clarify scientific ideas through such media as illustration, animation, comics, photography, printmaking, video and other media.

Thirty GNSI members have been busy working both out in the field and in their studios, depicting our threatened and endangered species, fire ecology and the beauty of nature that surrounds us. The Sandhills blazing star, wire grass, turkey oak, sparkleberry, pitcher plant, hickory horn devil worm, Sandhills spiny crawfish, fox squirrel, eastern musk turtle, red-cockaded woodpecker and pine barrens tree frog are just a few of the species you will encounter in the artworks.

Linda and Jim Dalton, a husband-and-wife team of ceramic artists, craft one of a kind high end functional and decorative pottery, both wheel thrown and hand built. Linda has been fascinated with pottery since visiting Seagrove over 35 years ago. After moving to Moore County in 2004 the Daltons built a studio and immediately the impact of living so close to nature had an influence on her work. She began decorating pottery pieces with wild ferns and leaves from native plants and bits of interesting limbs and knots found on their property … which is the hallmark of their pots.

Campbell House is located at 482 E. Connecticut Ave., Southern Pines. The exhibit is free and open to the public. A Meet-the-Artist reception is scheduled for Friday, April 9, from 6 to 8 p.m. Due to COVID-19 visitors must reserve a 30-minute time slot during the opening. Walk-ins will not be allowed. Masks are required inside Campbell House at all times — no exceptions.

“Call (910) 692-2787 to reserve your designated time slot,” says a spokesman.