Nags Head

Something Fishy, 7x9" watercolor

I made a final trip over to Nags Head to paint this gift shop called Something Fishy. My watercolor style, often referred to as whimsical, lends itself well to all things funky. It makes sense in a town called Nags Head that one would find some whimsy. I haven’t heard this story in years, but my understanding is Nags Head got its name because in days of old, when pirates roamed the shores, they would tie a lantern to the head of a nag (old horse). They would then walk the horse up the tall sound dunes that can be found in the area. Ships at sea, thinking they were spotting a lighthouse, would come crashing into the shores, only to be robbed of their bounties. Now, I’m going to check Wikipedia to see if I got this right. Not too far off, btw.