At around 6:15 p.m. last Friday evening, as visitors started to filter into the University Union Living Room, Priscilla Whitlock paced nervously around, waiting to hear their opinions. 19 of her paintings have just been put on display for the Coastal Viewpoints exhibit and the opening night is proving to be a bit stressful. Perhaps Whitlock’s husband, Larry, said it best, “Opening nights are a little tough. It’s like she’s putting her heart and soul out there and giving everyone the chance to pick it apart.” Whitlock currently lives in Charlottesville, Virginia, however she and her family spend time at their vacation home on Wrightsville Beach whenever possible. In fact, many of her paintings on display consist of scenes from her street at Wrightsville. In her bio, she acknowledges her friends and neighbors, “Many of you have been extremely generous in offering your porch views, your yard or dock to stand on while I paint, and it is much appreciated.” Thanks to a grant from the city of Dinan, Brittany, France, she also got the chance to work in the studio of Yvonne Jean-Haffen. “After I worked for a month on the coast of Brittany in darkness and rain and only occasional peeks of sunshine, I decided it was time to try to learn how to express these different light moods in paint,” Whitlock said. “Seasonal change, weather, temperature, times of day all provide these opportunities, especially on our coast.” On display along with Whitlock’s work are 14 paintings by local artist Susan Dade. All her pieces are watercolors or acrylics, which offer a different look than Whitlock’s oil paintings. Dade’s works range in locale from local spots here in Wilmington to Charleston, South Carolina and St. Augustine, Florida, but keep with the theme of coastal landscapes. A former fashion illustrator for Women’s Wear Daily and Glamour Magazine, Dade has lived here on the Carolina coast for 10 years. Some of her paintings in the exhibit are also available as limited edition lithograph prints. “Printing my work has enabled me to produce and grow as an artist. I print a subject that has generic appeal and one that I think is successful on my part. People seem to enjoy the same ‘viewpoint’ I have [of] the Carolina coast!” Whitlock said “It is my hope that these few paintings are the beginning of a relationship with the coast of North Carolina and the special beauty of the area.” The Coastal Viewpoint exhibit will be on display in the University Union Living Room until March 22. For more information, call 962- 3827.