We are living in the age of AI, where computer-generated “art” is served up on our laptops daily. And while it can be a lot of fun to see a picture of what your cat would look like if it was a human, real art serves a deeper purpose, one of inspiration and connection across place and time.
When that place is Hatteras Island and that time is your vacation, a handcrafted, one-of-a-kind keepsake is a special token of remembrance tying you to the Outer Banks. At Studio 12 in Avon, there are many options to create your own art or purchase art from a local artist in their all OBX-made gift shop.
For a quick, creative visit, a handmade candle station and a jewelry table are new to Studio 12’s interactive gift shop. These options are a great way to create your own keepsake quickly.
For candles, you can pick any container in the gift shop (shells are popular!), then choose soy wax, fragrances, botanicals and embellishments like little starfish and seashells. Candles are crafted for you within 30 minutes.
The gift shop also features a jewelry table where you can handcraft a charm necklace made from Studio 12’s clay and personalized with natural cords, beads, charms and drops of essential oils. These elements are all locally sourced.
Other creative options available for walk-in artists are glass fusion, mosaics, board art and pottery painting. Mosaics and board art can be taken home the same day, while pottery and glass fusion projects can be picked up within one to two days.
Studio 12 offers classes, too, where you can throw your own clay projects or learn jewelry making, macrame, painting and decoupage. Clay projects range from a Clay Date for beginners to classes focused on making trays or mugs.
If you want to purchase a piece of art rather than create one, Studio 12’s OBX-only gallery features art that’s entirely local; all pieces are made in studio or on the Outer Banks. You’ll find paintings, pottery, jewelry and more. Studio 12 recently pioneered an internship program, which has resulted in several artists opening their own studios; they then continue to contribute art to the locals-only gift shop.
The human spirit and powerful subconscious mind have limitless capacity. So sure, let the robots show you a human-cat, but know that every time you look at the special piece you created or the local art you bought at Studio 12, you’re bringing a crystallized moment of your time on Hatteras Island to your beautiful, multifaceted, entirely human mind.
Swept Away Cafe
Studio 12’s in-house coffee shop and café carries on the locals-only mission, featuring coffee from Blue Room Roasters in Buxton and kombucha from Kinnakeet Kombucha in Avon. Their colorful acai bowls have expanded options this year, and try the Bad Whey Bowl for a chocolate-banana-cookie concoction that’s only a little bit naughty.
(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. 
