Experience Life Through Art
One of the many things that is wonderful about living on or visiting Ocracoke Island is the vast array of talent exhibited through the arts. This island is home to a wealth of talent, many of which are local or North Carolina-based artists, and their work is displayed and celebrated throughout the community. Down Creek Gallery is one of the locations where these fine works are exhibited, and is located in the heart of Ocracoke Village along Silver Lake. Marissa Gross, an Ocracoke resident, purchased the gallery in early 2014 from long-time resident Tony McGowan.
Marissa hails from Ohio and began her college career at Ohio State University, where she studied animal science and sports medicine. Because of her love for the arts, she put together an art portfolio (not a simple task), and then transferred to the University of Arizona-Tucson and earned a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art Photography. During that time she gained experience through gallery management and art history, further expanding her love of art. Once completing her undergraduate degree she went on to earn a master’s degree in Psychology, and after graduating she moved to Los Angeles to become a visual merchandiser for J. Crew.
Marissa had visited Ocracoke Island in previous years, and after some time in Los Angeles decided she wanted a change of pace. She moved to Ocracoke Island in 2001 and, until purchasing Down Creek Gallery, worked in local restaurants, worked as a massage therapist, and did portrait photography of families and weddings.
Prior to 2014, Tony McGowan had approached Marissa about buying the gallery, but she declined. Earlier this year she spoke with Tony about purchasing the property, and he was open to listen. At that time everything lined up just right; she decided to purchase the gallery and everything fell into place. On a scale of 1-10 (1 being negative, 10 being positive) she rates her new career as, “a 20!” She stated, “I get to do what I love and it’s not a job. It’s something I’m privileged to do every day.”
Marissa enjoys meeting new artists as well as bringing back veteran artists, and celebrates them by showcasing their jewelry, pottery, photographs, and paintings through beautiful displays. Marissa also hosts fantastic art shows, which are primarily held weekly during the summer months, in order spotlight local artists. She does this because, “every person here who does artwork is unique, and we can build an even stronger community through art. The island is full of talent.”
To host a show, Marissa has to book the artist, advertise, arrange catering, and have musical entertainment. The final product is incredible. But her responsibilities go beyond hosting shows. The pieces in her gallery are valuable and, “the building, thanks to Tony McGowan, is a very well kept environment. It’s ventilated and there’s UV protection on the windows.” Many artists also apply their own protectant to stave off the UV rays from their work.
While Marissa loves contemporary and abstract works, she enjoys and appreciates all genres of art and believes, “there’s no bad art,” and continued by saying, “Who am I to judge who’s good or bad?” Her favorite works are pieces that, “make you think and make you talk,” whether or not the subject (or focus) of the piece is something good or disturbing. Arthur Fellig (known by his pseudonym Weegee) is one of her favorite artists. He was a photojournalist who was known for his black and white street/crime scene photos. Many of his photos are controversial, but he made people talk; a quality Marissa admires. She is also moved by the works of photographers Minor White and Richard Avedon, both of whom, like Weegee, are known for their black and white prints.
Marissa’s aspirations continue beyond the gallery. She wants to, “expand upon the community of artists we have by including children’s projects,” created by the young people residing on Ocracoke. She hopes to be a part of hosting an “art walk” in the future, where visitors and residents can go from shop to shop admiring works completed by young, beginning artists.
When she isn’t at the gallery Marissa runs for the joy of it and competitively. She recently completed a 200 mile relay to raise money for cancer research, plus frequently participates in 3K and 5K tournaments, as well as marathons along the Outer Banks. And Marissa is crazy about dogs, especially Pit Bulls. She advocates for the humane treatment of all animals, loves her “pitty” Griffen unconditionally, and adores any dog (and person, too) she meets. Among the many things that bring Marissa joy in life, one is being a proud and faithful Ohio State University fan. She said, “I was a Wildcat (UA-T), not a Sun Devil (ASU), but technically I’ll always be a Buckeye.”
The next "Expose Yourself to Art Opening" will be Wednesday, November 26th, and will feature photography by Melinda Sutton. Stop by between 5 – 8pm, meet Melinda and Marissa, and enjoy music and refreshments.
For more information on Down Creek Gallery, check out their Facebook page.
