The work of members of the Coastal Photo Club is showcased in "Photography: Past, Present, and Future" at the Bank of the Arts. The exhibit opens June 5 and continues through June 26, and the opening public reception is Saturday, June 7, from 2 to 5 p.m.

The show includes traditional black-and-white photographs, photographs of local scenes, nature photography, photo-based multi-media, and photo-based computer art. Members of the club range from talented amateurs to professional photographers, and range in age from college sophomore to retiree.

Participants include: Joel Arrington, Jerry Barkley, Jon Derby, Bev Fruhling, Ed Hall, Nancy Hall, Sandy Hammer, Eve Henderson, Judy Hills, Danny Lloyd, Christina Mathews, Tom McCabe, Phil Morse, Marilu Morse, Wendy Rosen, Mona Sadler, and Paula Vilonati. Following is a little information on just a few of the artists:

Phil and Marilu Morse are both photographers and members of the club. Having come to New Bern from Massachusetts, Phil Morse has created computer-assisted panoramas, but his photography is otherwise untouched. Many of his current photos are in black and white.

Christina Mathews, a student at Craven Community College, “takes ordinary things and makes them extraordinary” through her close-up photography, according to Jon Derby, who is show chairman.

Derby, a retired English teacher and principal, moved to New Bern from Hawaii and now works part time as a lab assistant in digital photography at Craven Community College.

The Coastal Photo Club meets monthly as a forum for an exchange of ideas and to disseminate information on all phases of photography. There are regular programs and competitions for members. Anyone interested in joining can visit www.coastalphotoclub.com.

Winning entries to the seventh annual Regional Juried Art Show will be on exhibit beginning July 10 at the Bank of the Arts. All art mediums, with the exception of sculpture, are expected to be represented in this Show, which continues through August 30. All entries—both accepted and declined—will be part of a two-day Art Market, sponsored by the Sun Journal, at the Bank of the Arts on July 1 and 2, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. In 2007 there were nearly 500 entries. The opening public reception is scheduled for Friday, July 11, during New Bern's 5-8 p.m. ArtWalk.

The Craven Arts Council & Gallery and the Twin Rivers Artists' Association, co-sponsors of the event, invited artists ages 18 and up from throughout the region to enter one or two works in the competition by downloading the entry form from www.cravenarts.org and then bringing their work on June 27 or June 28 to the Bank of the Arts. Eric McRay, juror for the Show, is a professional artist and seasoned juror from Raleigh, NC.

The competition offers $7,000 in awards. The First Place award is $1,000; Second Place is $500; and Third Place and People's Choice are each $250. In addition, there are Purchase Award, Show Award, and Merit Award prizes. Purchase Award donors are Jim Bisbee; Sandy and Frank Bruno; Jim Congleton, D.D.S., M.S.; Dr. and Mrs. T. Reed Underhill; Carol Tokarski and Richard Strickland; Gene and Pat Bruno; David Foley; Virginia Mattern; and Trader Construction Company. Show Award donors are Howard, Stallings, From & Hutson PA; Medicap Pharmacy; BB&T; and Fuller's Music.

Danny Lloyd, of Oriental, is impassioned about taking pictures of birds. His colorful, detailed bird portraits range from the tiny hummingbird to the majestic eagle.

Born and raised in Hobucken, a small fishing community in eastern North Carolina, Mona Sadler was always interested in photography and being outdoors. She is an associate of her son’s New Bern studio and also has a studio in her home, where she photographs children, couples, and pets.