DREAM COME TRUE: Hospice patient sells paintings at first art show

CALABASH, NC (WWAY) — A Brunswick County woman has been painting for years, but she’s never had an art show or sold any of her paintings until Thursday.

This has been a dream come true for Marcia Zachary.

Zachary is a patient at Lower Cape Fear Hospice and when they heard she had always wanted to show off and possibly sell some of her art, they worked with Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash to make that happen.

There was a huge turnout for Thursday’s gallery opening. She not only was she able to show off her artwork, but almost all of her paintings sold.

Zachary says while it has been overwhelming and a great experience.

“I’m happy, and I’ve enjoyed the crowd, the people who have come to see the art and enjoy it,” Zachary said. “It makes me feel good that they can see something and appreciate it.”

Most of the paintings did sell, but the ones that didn’t will remain on display at Sunset River Marketplace, located at 10283 Beach Dr SW in Calabash, for another week and prints of certain paintings will be available as well.

Zachary was surprised by her art teacher from back in the 1980s. Marilynn Walker heard about the gallery opening and wanted to come out and support her former student.

“We saw in the paper that she was going to be here, and I said, she has to be one of my students. So I went, I came and I was so tickled to see her again and be with her,” Walker said.

Walker taught art classes for 22 years before moving on to other things. She says it brings joy to her heart to have someone come in that has really never painted, and teach them a whole new world.

“She did some very very good work. And we were talking about how much fun we had in classes. I mean it was a joy,” Walker said.

With a successful gallery opening under her belt, Zachary had some advice for aspiring artists.

“Just keep at it. Just keep going. Mistakes are not made. Mistakes turn into beauty,” Zachary said.

If you’d like to purchase a print of one of Zachary’s paintings, you can contact her daughter Susan at 910-603-7909.