They say a good craftsman will never blame his tools, but artists know that good materials can make a huge difference in the work. That’s the theory shared by Sara Edge and David Sylvester, curators and proprietors of the new art gallery and supply store River’s Edge. They speak from experience, being artists themselves. The two moved to Wilmington from Oakland, after running a gallery in California for 10 years, and wanting to land in an arts-friendly city closer to East Coast family.
“I did a lot of research for a couple years before we moved,” said Edge. “North Carolina has one of the biggest art scenes besides New York. A lot of money goes into the arts here.” They stayed in the Brooklyn Arts District while location scouting, which Sylvester said helped them to fall in love with the area.
“We saw there was a huge theater scene,” Sylvester said. And the fact that there was a walkable arts district, plus the Cape Fear River—cool!”
Sylvester designed their logo and, through the dog community, they met their real estate agent and several like-minded artists, who helped them find their spot on Castle Street. River’s Edge Art Supplies and Gallery enjoyed its soft opening in May, featuring Edge and Sylvester’s own work and that of several local artists, as well as artisan vendors selling pottery, woodworking, greeting cards, jewelry, and more. They say the welcome from our community has been overwhelming, and they have become active in the Castle Street Collective of surrounding businesses, even starting a committee to organize an arts walk for the area.
River’s Edge aims to be more than retail, with its 1500 square feet featuring the work of visual artists like HP Fangs and Angela Fernot, its back room serving as studio space to local weaver Anthony Pullen, and a store offering quality “affordable to mid-and high-end range” materials, a step up from what corporate chains might offer.
“We have people who have told us they’ve been driving to Raleigh for supplies,” said Edge. “And as opposed to online shopping, you can feel and examine the products here.”
As a painter herself, she is really picky about brushes.
“You don’t really know a brush until you see it up close. Bad brushes are really bad,” Edge said. “They start fraying and you won’t get the lines or things get splotchy when a brush doesn’t hold paint well. I also learned when I started playing around with pastels that cheap paper doesn’t hold pastels well.”
Their assortment of erasers, journals, pencils, pens, acrylics, spray paints, pencil cases, and papers offers beginners to professionals a curated palette, with room to grow via special orders, as their mission is to “provide the community with what it’s looking for and needs.”
They have journal-making, textile sculpting, and gel-plate printing classes lined up, with plans for future events like “paint and drink” nights in conjunction with the nearby Good Lie sports bar.
Every inch of the space spotlights the work of local artists of all sorts, from the table full of Jack Estep’s zines and stickers to the charcoals of Paul Shank and figure drawings of Andrea Fernot hanging in the shop. Edge has her own nature-themed metallic jewelry for sale, too, while Sylvester’s whimsical creature paintings lurk behind the counter.
The opening reception for Evin Bryson will be held Saturday, June 27th from 5 pm – 8 pm. at 812 Castle Street, Wilmington, NC.
It will feature her oil paintings from her time spent in Guatemala as well as miniature framed gouache paintings.
For more info, visit:
https://www.riversedgeartsupplies.com/
or on Instagram: @riversedgeartsupplies
