George England

George England is one of the longest-standing members of Wilson Active Artists Association. 

A sketching and painting class at UNC-Chapel Hill, his alma-mater, sparked George England’s interest in art in 1963. George and his wife, Nancy, moved to Wilson in 1967 when he began a long career as an Information System’s manager and designer. England began painting in 2005 upon retirement. First, England took art classes at Wilson Community College with Clara Flannigan and then became an even more serious student at Barton for two years under Professor J. Chris Wilson when he studied painting techniques and art history intensely. “For the last several years, I have continued my studies with Martha Beland refining my skills.”

His primary emphasis is to photograph and then paint landscape scenes from across North Carolina and beyond. The Asheville, N.C. native has created more than one series of paintings from photographs taken while traveling; but perhaps his favorite series is taken around Mt. Mitchell in the Great Smoky Mountains. “I have a great love of the mountains,” claims England. And it shows up in his work!

Like his father and grandfather, England is a woodworker and still uses tools passed down to him. Furniture and cabinet making have been his hobby for many years with photography becoming a more recent interest. “I paint because it is very important to create something of beauty that will last.” The artist stretches linen canvases over his hand-crafted wood stretchers and then creates paintings. Afterwards, he makes frames for his work. “To me, there is nothing more fulfilling than creating things of beauty that can be shared with friends, family and others. What other thing can a person do that might last for 500 years?” asks the father of four and grandfather of five. George hopes his children and grandchildren will follow in his footsteps as a woodworker or artist.