Featured Artist Mclaughlin takes to the canvas

Aside from serving on the Chowan County Commission, Larry Mclaughlin is known as a drafting teacher, a talented woodworking artists, and a local thespian .

Yearly Mclaughlin steps into the role of Dumbledore complete with the magic wand. However, over the past 18 months Mclaughlins wand of choice is a brush. That's when he first began taking paint to canvas.His work depicts his love of nature and natural beauty. Many of this work stems from scenes around Edenton with a view beach trips preserved and framed. 

"I always wanted to paint but never had the time. I began 18 months ago and now I am enjoying it. I believe you can do anything if you try."

Aside from Mclaughlin's artwork, the CAC is also holding the annual CAC Gala on Saturday evening, April 5. Tickets are still available. 

by Karen Foley

It began with pencil, brush and clay. Those were the toolsTimmy Turner used as a budding artist in elementary school. However he took a turn later and found his love of fiber art growing.  

“I started picking up sewing and crocheting around sixth grade. I would make my own stuffed animals out of old socks and blankets”, explains Turner.  “I started crocheting hats and scarves for the cold Wisconsin winters and continued in college where I started knitting my own sweaters and graduated from sewing stuffed animals to making puppets”.  

When Turner said “he graduated to puppets” the artist was being  humble. Turner’s puppet are as renowned as his reputation.

“I've created puppets and costumes for Beauty and the Beast and Little Shop of Horrors that I've rented out to high schools and colleges for their theater productions. I also helped build puppets for Rockefeller Productions Live Winnie The Pooh production in New York City”.

Turner considers fiber arts to encompass knitting and crocheting and  textile art to include clothing and quilt making. Turner’s soft sculpture covers  the stuffed animals and puppets.  

Currently he is focused on quilting. His finished quilts as creative as his puppetry, He didn’t begin piecing fabric together to create amazing patterns until COVID encouraged artists to explore other venues.   

Turner believes it was his parent’s fondness for blankets - each room in his home growing up contained a basket of blankets. Those warmers instilled the ‘love for comfort’  that encouraged him to turn his love of fiber into art and soft sculpture.  

The history of American fiber folk art started with quilting by enslaved women who began quilting to supplement their inadequate bedding. While quilting developed out o  necessity it grew into an allowing for creativity. Quilting also became a time to bond with other in  the community. Quilting was a creative outlet that allowed quilters to assert their identity and legacy. Quilting as an art form became popular in the 1970’s and 1980’s and has now become a recognized art form.

“Since many of the quilts, sweaters, and puppets I’ve made have been gifts for loved ones, I spend a lot of time browsing through different colors and styles of fabrics and yarns,” notedTurner, “I pull together the raw materials that feel right, and then I often "wing it."

With his busy schedule as the Store Manger of Surf, Wind and Fire and also as Edenton’s part-time events coordinator for Main Street Edenton, he rarely does commission work, but hopes to in the future.   

“I have a website timmyturner.comand I'm hoping to do more shows in local arts councils,” said Turner.  

Walking into Patrick Dablow’s studio and King Street Marketplace shops, it's apparent the artist has an eye for nature. His fondness of the subject is captured on canvas throughout his studio. You’re greeted by large canvas paintings of floral and historic interpretations of Edenton’s architecture. When the door opens, Dablow is most likely painting ‘barefoot’ in the back studio and will holler out a ‘hello’, before quietly appearing.

Dablow’s medium is Acrylic and has always been drawn to nature. Living in Edenton, he derives inspiration in its blue sky, architecture, landscapes, waterfowl and flowers. He is also known for his painting of the historic Edenton Teapot which is located behind the studio in the downtown historic district. The original bronze teapot is perched atop a Revolutionary War era cannon and commemorates the political Edenton tea party.

“I am drawn to create those categories because of the subject matter, light play and color on each subject”, Dablow explains, “Edenton is a NC version of Monet's Garden”.  

Dablow’s artistic talent was inspired by his Grandfather, a high school art teacher. He started painting in grade school and continued through high school and college but put painting on hold for 40 plus years during his extensive retail career.  

“Fine Art is in a new era for artists due in large part to the digital age and social media,” expressed Dablow, “ A single painting can be copied, printed and reproduced on a multitude of products and formats and viewed globally immediately”.  

Dablow gives the example that an original painting sells once in the Gallery, but the canvas wraps and prints are sold in sizes that the customer can pick up for their particular wall space at very reasonable price points.  His art also appears on greeting cards, tote bags, and mugs offering the same image at a very reasonable price points for gift giving. Wife Lorrie Mahaffey Dablow works closely with him on the development and interpretation of his art on to other products sold at their quant King Street Marketplace shops which also houses her Edenton Tea Company, a book store and Artemis and IOa lifestyle shop for those who love the magical, whimsical and beautiful things in life.

From the first cup tossed overboard, to the unveiling of the windows of Edenton’s newest addition to Broad St., The Edenton Tea Company, the town now has a museum quality space to celebrate American History one cup of tea at a time.  

When the paper on the expansive windows of Edenton’s Josephine Leary building came down another  historic event surrounding tea was unveiled on Valentine’s Day as friends, family, neighbors and town officials gathered to officially commemorate the grand opening of The Edenton Tea Company’s historic location.

The freshly remodeled space is the most recent re-creation for Lorrie and Patrick Dablow, who began the company on King St. next to Patrick’s art studio. Patrick’s art is highly apparent within the museum styled shop as his envied painting of the town’s famed Tea Pot welcomes visitors from above the ‘teaporiums’ museum styled feel.

According to Patrick the couple moved to Edenton  and planned on using the town as a base as they travelled. Those plans were altered and Patrick decided to begin painting again after a long career as store and set designer for major national retailers. His art began to appeal to many and Lorrie one day explained she was opening a tea company.  

The rest is history, coincidentally, the future is also based on history.  

This is not grandma’s tea shop however, thoughts may have been brewing since then. The evolution of The Edenton Tea Company has been Lorrie’s passion since it’s beginning.

“Celebrate American History one cup of tea at a time” is the summation of concepts. The couple adventured on a Washington museum store tour to confirm their vision was more than just reading tealeaves.

Josephine Leary would be proud knowing the doors to her once upon a time building was now home to the history she had a monumental role in shaping.  Lorrie even offers two comfortable wing back chairs to watch a historic loop of video productions provided by the Locke Foundation and others.  

Chamber of Commerce Director Susan Creed welcomed the crowd and introduced Edenton Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Koby Strawser led those gathered in prayer. Chamber of Commerce Vice President Brian White congratulated the Dablow’s on their new addition to downtown.  

Edenton Mayor Hackney High proceeded to address the welcoming to downtown, sharing his thoughts that downtown is really Broad St. and in order to be ‘downtown’ a Broad St. address may come in handy.  

The mayor confirmed his belief. “I used to be three stores down from Broad St. and now I’m on Broad St. at the corner of Broad St. and Eden St. and I can tell you there is a difference.”

William Allen of the Locke Foundation explained his father  pastored in Edenton and he spent part of his youth in town. Locke expressed his gratitude to the Dablow’s for making the foundation part of the event. The foundation’s video loop of Edenton history will play throughout the day.

Friday’s event proved if you build it they will come. Passers-by stopped in awe suddenly realizing behind those papered windows artists were at work creating another contemporary look  on Broad St. 

It is becoming a theme. It was also proven if they come and like what they see, they will stay. It was a ribbon cutting of lingering guests, neighborhood conversation and chatter about the character and quality of Edenton retail.

The Edenton Tea Company is a definite must see for Edenton residents and visitors alike. And, it's also a great place to enjoy a  cup of tea, while browsing a historic past. The Edenton Tea Company is open Monday – Saturday at 423 S. Broad St.