By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—Known for its beautiful golf course, the Shoal Creek community also boasts a number of resident artists. On Saturday, Feb. 21, a group of 15 members and residents displayed their work at the Shoal Creek Clubhouse during the Shoal Creek Evening of Art and Hors D’Oeuvres.

The first event of its kind at the Shoal Creek Clubhouse, the exhibition displayed a wide range of artistic styles and mediums, from abstract painting and collage to quilted images.

Some of the featured artists honed their talents early in life through school, while others discovered their passion later in life.

Shoal Creek resident Bonnie Stroud realized her skill and love of painting after taking several lessons.

“I couldn’t even do stick figures before I took lessons,” Stroud said with a laugh. “I didn’t realize how much I would love art.”

Stroud displayed two landscape paintings, one of a quaint pub on a city block, the other depicting a brightly colored coastal town.

“It was a lot of fun to do, I hated it to come to an end,” Stroud said of the cheerful seascape painting, noting acrylic paint was used to create the background, while the sea was created using water-based oil paints to give it texture.

Caroline Thompson Little, granddaughter of Shoal Creek founder and designer Hall Thompson, displayed several black and white images. A visual arts major in college, Little has always been inspired by black and white photography, and said her favorite medium is charcoal.

“My grandfather, who developed this place, was a true artist, and I think that’s where it stems from,” Little said, noting creativity runs in her family, pieces by both her father, George Thompson, and sister were also on display on Feb. 21.

Angelika Evans displayed a Jasper Johns-inspired rendition of the French flag. Composed of a collage of items covered by a coat of red, white and blue paint and sealed with a coat of wax, the piece holds a deeper meaning to Evans.

“I put behind this flag all my souvenirs from Paris,” Evans said. “My daughter is living in Paris, so I am there pretty often.”

Before the Feb. 21 showing, many Shoal Creek residents were unaware of their artistic neighbors. Evans said she was pleased to discover fellow artists, noting working on pieces with others is “so much fun.”