The Down East Collection

Imagined scenes inspired by the Outer Banks of North Carolina in autumn.

We all love the beach during the summer, but autumn offers a unique experience that feels a lot like the calm after the storm. Kids go back to school, businesses wind down for the season, and the once hot sunshine hides behind clouds. The atmosphere seems to instill a sense of rest and rejuvenation.

This time of year reminds me of spending weekends with my family as a child in the little town of Manteo. After the town’s busy summer of showmanship for all the tourists, locals relax and life moves on more authentically.

Pumpkins line porches, storefront flags ripple in the wind, and people come together on the weekends for festivals and markets. Instead of always searching for air condition, sweaters are worn to keep warm on the windy flat of sand between the mainland and the Atlantic.

I created this series with the warmth of nostalgia and restfulness of autumn in mind. Glazes of warm blues and burnt sienna across these imagined scenes feel like memories of this season.