Ocracoke Walkabout

I was immediately charmed by Melinda Sutton on our first meeting. At first I thought I wouldn’t be able to pick her out of a crowd, but she was the only one carrying a camera and an armful of photographs.

We quickly introduced ourselves and found a shady place to put down our coffees and her art work. My scholarly questions in my notebook were thrown to the wind as we found ourselves knee to knee discussing life, and art, and photography.

Melinda and her husband, Alan, are the owners of the Tradewinds Tackle. It has not been her only job since moving to Ocracoke. Melinda worked in the Day Care Center and for Ocracoke Youth Center's after school program.

Last year Melinda had a health scare which resulted in several trips to Raleigh. “Alone in the car,” she said, “I had time to think about my life. I realized I wasn’t doing anything creative anymore, and I missed it. I have got to be creative.”

On New Year’s Eve she told Alan that she was quitting Tradewinds to pursue her love of photography.  She said he didn’t believe her until she didn’t show up to unload the first truck. He quickly realized she meant to keep her New Year’s resolutions.

With her new Panasonic camera in hand, Melinda began taking photography classes as if her life depended upon it. Perhaps it did. She began with a class at the University of South Carolina and then moved on to a marketing class at Beaufort Community College.  In Beaufort there were only 28 students, and she was the only photographer. During that two-day class Melinda felt as if she had finally found her calling. Her instructor insisted that the artists “begin treating art as a job, not a hobby.”

Melinda also spent time in Chicago where she studied lines and contours of buildings. She loves the photographs from Ocracoke, but also realizes there are a lot of other photos just waiting for her across the water.

Upon returning home from traveling and from her classes, Melinda began taking her camera with her on every walk, every adventure, every ball game, and every event. She credits Cindy Fiore for making her finish and mat an art piece for the Art Auction fundraiser at the Ocrafolk Festival. “I think it went for $250.00,” she told me happily.

By now Melinda is sitting on the edge of her seat; she cannot control her enthusiasm for her photography. Her sea glass earrings swing in the morning light as she begins to show me her work. Each one is more beautiful than the other. All of her pieces are carefully matted and signed.

I ask her if she has a schedule, but she laughs. She has two children, ages 12 and 15, which makes her a busy woman.  “I have no schedule,” she exclaims. She also has a garden and a flock of chickens! But her art is taking up her heart and mind, and with a house remodeling job complete, she now has a new back porch which will become her studio.

She will soon have a Facebook page, Fox Stream Photography, with her sister where her art work will be available. For now you can purchase her work at The Community Store or at Tradewinds.

As for Alan? He hired a couple of guys who really know their stuff, and it seems as if everyone is happy. Melinda now has time to take those long walks with her camera in her hand and a studio at home just waiting for her.

Click on any photo below to enlarge it, then you can scroll through them all by clicking the "next" button in the upper right corner. Enjoy!