Local artists have their latest seascape masterpieces displayed at city hall with a little help from their friends

By Ruben Lowman

A group of amazing local artists have been honored with their latest seascape masterpieces hanging in North Myrtle Beach City Hall for everyone to come and check out. 

In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Day late last month and April being Autism Awareness Month, the city has made local special needs residents a big part of city hall, and their beach and ocean-inspired artwork is on full display throughout the month. 

The local artists received extra special help from their friends at the city to carry out their seascape pieces. Officers with the NMB Police Department, as well as artists with the NMB Parks and Recreation Department, made sure that each of the artists felt all of the love from city personnel. 

Lance Cpl. Amy Vicks, NMB Police Community Engagement Officer, said that their mission was to get the artists’ creative juices flowing by using tapestries, paint, yarn, shells and a few other items to inspire them to use within either a mermaid or a sea turtle theme. The artists spent the afternoon at McLean Park working hard on their seascape masterpieces and Vicks said they are proud to be able to display them for the entirety of the city to enjoy. 

This is the first year artwork is on display to honor Down Syndrome Awareness Day and Autism Awareness Month. Vicks  said she created the idea along with NMB Parks and Recreation Art Director Nina Ortiz in order to bring the local special needs community together in a fun and interactive way, something they don’t get to do often enough.

“We wanted to do it because special needs kids and adults don’t really get the opportunity to meet together and do things within our community,” Vicks explained. “So I really wanted to put it out there for the special needs.”

She did some research and found out when the dates were and the ball was rolling. Ortiz came up with the concepts, Vicks bought the art supplies and all of the artists were soon off busy at work on their newest creations. Volunteers from the art department at the J. Bryan Floyd Community Center were on hand to help teach and help guide all of the aspiring artists with their artwork. 

The artwork on display at city hall is a part of the Artists Everywhere program North Myrtle Beach offers, in which local artists have their creations displayed throughout the month. Vicks said working with special needs children and adults is something the police department focuses on and takes great pride in. She said the passion her captain shared for the Special Olympics, coupled with her niece having Down Syndrome, made her decide to honor the special needs in their own unique way. 

NMB Fire Rescue is also honoring Autism Awareness Month by having specially-made helmets for firefighters and emergency personnel to use on service calls in the city throughout the month of April. That way, those with disabilities can accompany city first responders on all of their life-saving missions in their own local community.