At Studio 12 in Avon, summer is busy with art-seeking shoppers and art-creating makers. In the fall the studio stays open regular hours, but there’s also a lot happening behind the scenes to provide a terrific art experience for the next wave of summer visitors.
Owner and artist Dawn Eskins says her focus for the shop, which offers both art for sale and a full studio for visitors to craft their own creations, is to ensure an all-local gallery. To meet this goal, she started an intern program, and the interns are rising to the challenge, often starting their own brands as they develop their talents and offer their wares for sale.
Let’s look behind the scenes of this new program and take a peek at Studio 12’s art space and cafe.
Studio 12 Interns
When an all-local art gallery became a priority for Dawn, it clicked that an intern program would be successful for the shop to function as a working studio.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for someone to donate their time and get to do what they love,” Dawn says. She quickly assembled an entourage of Hatteras artists eager to develop their skills.
“They’re just amazing,” Dawn says.
One intern has developed a fun, irreverent brand called The Female Glaze. Her wares are filled with Swiftie song lyrics and cheeky quotes. “It’s really been a blessing because it’s creating local art to sell and giving the interns an outlet and a way to make money,” Dawn says.
The interns’ work is for sale in the Studio 12 gallery space, along with the work of many other local artists.
Studio 12 Art Space
For visitors, Studio 12 remains Hatteras Island’s spot to unleash creativity.
alk-in customers can participate in paint-your-own pottery, glass fusion, mosaic art or acrylic art. Artists can also reserve seats for a Clay Date and learn to use the pottery wheel.
Private watercolor lessons and daily classes are available at 2 p.m. These vary based on the day, so check their website to see what is on the schedule.
Swept Away Cafe
As a former cupcake artist and Cupcake Wars veteran, Dawn knows good food, and the café attached to her art studio is top-notch. This year she added breakfast items to the staples of expertly blended espresso drinks, acai bowls, pastries and cupcakes by her Carolina Cupcakery bakery of Food Network fame. The cafe is very accommodating to dietary needs and has items that are gluten-free, keto, dairy-free, nut-free and vegan.
As the interns and artists at Studio 12 work alongside Dawn this fall and winter to create one-of-a-kind art inspirations for Studio 12’s gallery, they hope to model to visitors the magic that unbridled creativity can provide!
(252) 995-7899 • 41008 N.C. Highway 12, Avon • studio12avon.com
About the Author Heather Frese
Heather Frese fell in love with the Outer Banks when she was three years old. She grew up camping every summer on Hatteras Island, and her writing is deeply influenced by the history and wild beauty of the area. Her debut novel, The Baddest Girl on the Planet, won the Lee Smith Novel Prize and is set on Hatteras Island. 
