harrisvacation"> | December 12, 2022
Ask someone to think about coastal, beachy art and immediately fun, tacky shell crafts, or maybe a soft pastel-colored painting of a beach with a lighthouse come to mind. And while you really do need that seashell wreath and matching wind chime, there’s more art out there! So, for all you serious art lovers, we’ve got just the thing.
The picture-perfect beaches, coastal landscapes, and panoramic vistas of the Gulf Coast are the inspiration for many a visitor looking for gulf shores alabama fun things to do and aspiring artist. If you wish to indulge your artistic side even further, the internationally acclaimed artist Susan N. McCullough’s Gulf Shores art gallery and studio is conveniently located just 10 minutes away in charming Gulf Shores. Here you can browse 3,500 square feet of exhibit space featuring her original works that range from oil and acrylic paintings to sculptures to charcoal and ink drawings. Take in her inspiring large canvas pieces and marvel at her distinctive style that combines contemporary techniques with innovative color palettes and her own unique impressionist style.
Beyond talented, Susan N. McCollough is a distinguished and award-winning artist who is proud to call Gulf Shores her home. A graduate of the University of Alabama, she has studied and worked across the globe at such prestigious venues as the Students Art League in New York and the Accademia d’Arte in Florence, Italy. Even with all of her acclaim – she won Artist of the Year in 2017 and was named one of the Top 60 Masters of Contemporary Art from 2015-17 – she and her work are appealing because of their unassuming approachability. Susan herself admits she does not know why she paints; she just does. In every stage of her life, she found herself painting, producing art and conjuring up vivid pieces one after the other. No matter what she was doing, “I always came back to painting,” she says. We, for one, are glad for it.
McCullough has a mastery of color and shapes, and her impressionist style lends itself well to her large-canvas format. She draws from personal experiences, her travels, her friends, her mentors, people she meets, and even just the faces she sees during her day to day. “I paint from the excitement of the blank canvas. I paint with freedom of inner-feelings, movement, connection of space, combination of colors, playing with negative space until it all speaks to me,” she has said. The results are prominently on display in her gallery, which is open to the public Monday through Friday, from 10am to 4pm for those gulf shores alabama fun things to do. Special showings and private viewings can be arranged by contacting the artist directly, either through her website or by phone (251-967-7677).
You can easily find the Susan N. McCullough Gallery at 350 Cypress Bend Boulevard, in Suite 105-106, at the McCullough Institute for Appearance and Health, in the beautiful Craft Farms Gold Resort.
After you’ve wandered through the gallery enjoying the art and feeding your soul, treat yourself by taking advantage of the offerings at the McCullough Institute. They offer advanced skin care and body treatments for repair and improvements, as well as other non-surgical treatments. Services from Botox and permanent make-up to microblading and dermabrasions, laser hair removal to waxing, as well as hair restoration and help for those aging hands. Also offered are lighter type services such as hydrotherapy, facials, and massages. Try their Queen-for-a-day Getaway package for a choice of dermaplaning or microdermabrasion facial, hydrotherapy, reflexology, Swedish massage, and lunch!
Craft Farms is also the home of the Craft Farms Golf Resort, which boasts two 18-hole courses designed by legendary golfer Arnold Palmer. Enjoy beautiful scenery and amazing golf.
For those of you who’d like to exercise your own artistic skills, add the following to your trip’s itinerary. The skilled instructors at Blue Girl Beading will have you creating jewelry masterpieces in no time. Watch masterpieces being made at Sea Oat Studio, then take home one of their pottery creations. For textile lovers and weavers, Clara’s Loom and the Coastal Textile Center is a must stop while you’re in town. Pick up something bright, colorful and wearable in the shop, take a weaving class where you can learn to make your own textile delights. Experienced textile artists can rent time in the studio while they’re in town.
And just for fun…Sand Castle University is just what you’d think it is. Fun for all ages and skill levels, this class includes a free time-lapse video of your group as they sculpt their masterpieces. Take your sculptural sandcastle building skills to the next level.
Exciting abstract, impressionist artwork, spa treatments and golf – it’s all at the McCullough Institute and Craft Farms. The Susan N. McCullough Gallery is just one of the many art galleries in Gulf Shores you need to visit. For other gallery and activities suggestions, give our friendly staff a call. We would love to help you make your Gulf Shores vacation artsy and memorable!
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