Claude Howell (artist)

Wilmington native Claude Howell’s identity as an artist is intertwined with the North Carolina coast. Howell’s most frequent subjects include fishermen, docks and seascapes. Using bright, flat colors, the artist created vibrant portraits of life along the coast. Ocracoke Harbor exemplifies this style, with Howell using a marine palette to cut geometric swaths of color across the canvas. As a passionate artist and educator, Howell contributed to the cultural vitality of his community and was asked to start an art department at Wilmington College (now UNC-Wilmington), where he taught from 1960 to 1981.

tags: NC art, NC artist, North Carolina