
12/09/2022
Mary Ellen’s Lady Moon is a big favorite here at the shop. How many moon paintings do think Mary Ellen has done?
For 45 years The Golden Gallery has captured local memories in the Art & Music of the Golden Family Golden and the music of John C. Golden.
For 44 years The Golden Gallery has captured local memories in the artwork of Mary Ellen and John W.
Operating as usual
Mary Ellen’s Lady Moon is a big favorite here at the shop. How many moon paintings do think Mary Ellen has done?
One of the many benefits of throwing a little celebration every five years or so is that it encourages us to really crank up our productivity so we have lots of artwork on the walls when our friends come to visit. This past celebration meant we got one of John’s Masonboro No.1 36“ x 36“ art boxes on the wall for the first time since 2018. If past is prologue, it won’t be here long. Come see us this holiday season and see everything we’ve added to the shop.
Here's a little bit of history on the gallery and the 5 locations we have occupied during our 45 years in the Cotton Exchange!
Thanks to everyone who came out to our 45th anniversary party yesterday! So good to see dear friends and family. This kicks off a year of celebration in which we will share bits of history and bits of the future for the Golden Gallery. We encourage each and everyone of you to come support downtown this holiday season and we hope we get a chance to see you!
Getting ready to fill these with goodies for our 45th anniversary celebration, 3 PM to 5 PM today!
So here’s what are a couple of the many things that are so great about being a downtown business for 45 years: You meet great people, and in our case, many of the artists here in town. One person who checks both those boxes is Mike Bryand, the owner of The Bryand Gallery at 20 South Front Street. We’ve known Mike since before he and his wife, Allie, started their gallery representing over 70 local artists (We’ve known Allie since our 25 year old sons were in preschool together), and we have always loved his energy and his work.
Yesterday he came over to wish us well on our 45th anniversary and brought us this photo he took of John C. Golden and the Hewlett’s Creek Boys and we could not be happier. Even though John C. is no longer with us, now he is here with us today in more than just spirit.
Check out the Bryand Gallery on your next trip downtown and support local artists!!
Final 45th anniversary giveaway announcement! A framed 12” x 18” Bluefish print by John W. Golden. Come in anytime between now and about 4:30 pm on Saturday to enter. In-person entries only. Need not be present to win. Drawing is for one framed limited edition print. No purchase necessary.
Two more giveaways left to announce! Stay tuned for our 4th announcement later today. Starting off this morning with Mary Ellen’s framed limited edition print “Johnnie Mercer’s Pier”. Come in anytime between now and about 4:30 pm on Saturday to enter. In-person entries only. Need not be present to win. Drawing is for one framed limited edition print. No purchase necessary.
Here’s a giveaway that everyone who comes in on Saturday, December 3 gets: A free Wilmington sticker! If you come in the doors, you’ll be leaving with one of these even if we have to stick it on your back without you knowing 😜
Next up in our giveaways for Saturday’s 45th anniversary celebration: John W. Golden’s 16” x 20” robot art box, Oscar. Come in anytime between now and about 4:30 pm on Saturday to enter. In-person entries only. Need not be present to win. Drawing is for one 16” x 20” art box. No purchase necessary.
First up in our giveaways for Saturday’s 45th anniversary celebration: Mary Ellen’s 22” x 30” limited edition print, Eventide. Come in anytime between now and about 4:30 pm on Saturday to enter. In-person entries only. Need not be present to win. Drawing is for one unmatted/unframed 22” x 30” limited edition print. No purchase necessary.
We are getting ready to celebrate 45 years of making art local! Join us Saturday, Dec. 3rd from 3 pm to 5 pm for giveaways and refreshments!
What's that they say about best-laid plans? The college kid has car trouble, so it looks like we will be spending our Artists' Sunday getting her back to school and getting the car towed instead of here at the gallery. We are sorry if you had plans to visit us today, but hope you will still come down and support the many artists whose work you can buy downtown today.
We are here Tuesday through Saturday 10 am-5:30 pm if you can make it on another day.
We will be open tomorrow, Artist’s Sunday, from 12 noon until 4 PM. Hope to see you there!
We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and you all get to spend some time with loved ones! The gallery will be open regular hours Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and 12-4 pm on Artists’ Sunday for the first time in years. Please join us this weekend in supporting all the businesses that make our downtown such a special place!! And just between us, rumor has it that we may have John W.’s 36” x 36” Masonboro No. 1 Art Box on our walls again for the first time since 2018. If history repeats, it won’t be here long!
We hope everyone enjoys the Thanksgiving holiday! We will be here for Black Friday, small business Saturday and hope to see you Sunday for Artists’ Sunday.
We will be open for limited hours Tuesday, 11/15, from 10am - 12 noon. We will be back Wednesday 11/16, and open our regular hours for the remainder of the week!
Hey folks! Did you know that John W. Is also a musician? He is a guitarist in local band Mars in Spring, and they are playing at Waterline Brewing tonight (10/28) from 7-9pm. Show has been moved indoors due to weather.
More from the November issue of Our State magazine! John had a lot of fun interpreting these state animals and symbols. Come Spring, these critters (and the pine tree) will be available here at the gallery.
Those who know our family know that John W. better know how to draw a pine tree. “Felt like my grandfather was looking over my shoulder the whole time”, says John. Coincidentally, besides inspiring just John, his grandfather C.W. took many photos of to***co barns on his daily trips into the woods, planting pines. Many of those photos became reference for Mary Ellen’s beloved to***co barn paintings. See more of John’s work in the November issue of Our State magazine, and Mary Ellen’s barns at the Golden Gallery in historic downtown Wilmington.
Time for another sneak peek!! Here are a couple of the North Carolina State animals John drew for the November issue of Our State magazine. More to come soon!
We will not be open Tues. Oct. 18th. We will return to our regular hours Wednesday, Oct 19. We are sorry for any inconvenience. 
Hey, Y'all! Something exciting happening here at The Golden Gallery and across the Old North State! The November issue of Our State Magazine will feature 12 illustrations of our state animals and state tree by our very own John W. Golden. We will be sharing them here in the coming weeks. In early 2023, they will be available in the shop.
Morning, friends! We will not be open today, Friday, Sept. 30th. Stay safe and dry!
We must apologize that we are unable to open today. We will be back tomorrow during our regular business hours.
We will be closed Thursday, Aug. 18. We will resume regular business hours Friday, Aug. 19.
John’s newest Wilmington stickers are here! As well as his Saltwater Fish Series ones! The only place in Wilmington you can get these! More exclamation points!!!
Hey friends! We are closing early today (Tues 6/7) at 4 PM, and tomorrow (Wed 6/8) at 1 PM. The hours feature here on our page refuses to update. We apologize for any confusion this creates. Also, despite the page saying we are closed Fridays, we are in fact, open. The only days we are closed right now are Sundays and Mondays. Thanks for understanding!
Come check out John W. Golden’s Nautical Chart art blocks! Ten 6” x 6” blocks in all, showing portions our SENC coast as it appeared in the late 19th century. There’s even one for the Wilmington area. Want a 32” x 40” print of the entire chart? We can do that.
Many, many years ago, Mary Ellen Golden used to paint mini originals. Were you fortunate to pick up an original piece of her work back in the day? Came across 4 original minis this week in the gallery office! We are going to keep these in the family, but plan to offer them as reproductions in our current line of framed mini prints.
Many of you will know that we were so very lucky to know Jane Faudree and to have her as a part of our gallery family for many years. She made our little corner of the world a warm and welcoming place. She will live on through her beautiful family and her art and will always have a place in our hearts.
Share Memories & Support the Family.
Closed today due to inclement weather.
We are watching the weather, y'all. We will be closed Friday and will close Saturday if the weather dictates. Thanks!!
Merry Christmas!! Our holiday hours are as follows: 12/23 (Today) - 10am - 3:30pm, Closed 12/24 through 12/26. We will re-open Monday, 12/27. Closed New Year’s Day. 
Ornaments are underway! We have moved our annual JDRF donation event inside the gallery this year. We could not make a tree happen this year. These are just some of the images that our Type One daughter Kate is helping us make into ornaments this year. If you come in and purchase an ornament for $8, the entire amount will be donated to JDRF to help continue research to make Type One Diabetes a thing of the past. Ornaments will be available through the end of December.
Who out there knows when it’s best to catch Crabby Claws? Wait for it… wait for it… At Yuletide. 🤪 Mary Ellen’s watercolor of a blue crab in a Santa hat is available as prints, cards, and ornaments.
Yesterday was the first day of our 45th year in business! All those years in the Cotton Exchange in Downtown Wilmington. Thank you all for your support over the years!
Here's Mary Ellen checking out our first location (now part of the excellent The Basics) about 2 months before we opened our doors. 5 locations (in the same city block) later, you can now find us in the O'Brien Building along with our dear neighbors Occasions Just Write, Elizabeth's Boutique, Port City Pottery and Fine Crafts, Java Dog and Cape Fear Footwear.
Here is the outside of the first Golden Gallery in October 1977. Yellow bell bottoms!
Hey y’all!! It’s been awhile, what with all that has been going on, but John W’s fish wall is full again! It won’t stay that way long so come down and grab a great gift for your favorite fisher!
Who’s heading out to support artists today for Artists’ Sunday? The gallery will be open 12-4pm today!
Morning, Friends! We will follow a holiday schedule this week: Open Tuesday and Wednesday, 10am to 5:30pm. Closed Thursday-Saturday so each of our little work family can spend time with their own families. We will be here Noon-4pm Sunday for Artist's Sunday. Come down and see us! Thank you all for supporting us!
311 N Front Street
Wilmington, NC
28401
Tuesday | 10am - 5:30pm |
Wednesday | 10am - 5:30pm |
Thursday | 10am - 5:30pm |
Friday | 10am - 5:30pm |
Saturday | 10am - 5:30pm |
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John’s newest Wilmington stickers are here! As well as his Saltwater Fish Series ones! The only place in Wilmington you can get these! More exclamation points!!!
You can't get more coastal christmas than NC Lighthouse Ornaments! John W.'s series of the seven keepers of the Carolina coast are available this year on our JDRF charity Christmas tree. Come on down and get your favorite coastal beacon for an $8 donation! JDRF Coastal Carolina Chapter The Cotton Exchange
Holy mackerel! We have limited quantities of John W.'s Saltwater Fish Series Ceramic Mugs in the gallery today! Just these three fish for the moment, but many more are available at johnwgolden.com. Come on down and get one while they last!
Hey gang! We are hosting a charity Christmas tree again this year! Our charity is the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation - Coastal Carolina Chapter. We have lots of handmade ornaments this year featuring the work of Mary Ellen Golden and John W. Golden, with all proceeds going to JDRF. Donate $8 and you can take home the ornament of your choice. Let's start things off with a few lovelies from Mary Ellen. Come on down and pick out your ornament(s) today!
Coming in to the Gallery today! Select love-themed blocks in John W.'s popular My Heart Series, Waterwood Series and Never Was Series. Grand statements of love in small packages these, coming in at 3" x 6" (Love is the Very Best) or 4" x 4" (square format). Get a little piece of art that shows your heart today.
We’ve got Santa and Duke Ladd performing while you wait. Today’s a GREAT day to come down and shop inside! Check out Port City Pottery and Occasions while you’re here!
Is there someone creative on your list? They might enjoy Mary Ellen Golden’s “Watercolor Can Be Easy” watercolor lesson on DVD! It’s only $20 and clearly instructs the painting of a beach scene, a river scene, and a barn. Should be a hit!
Join us today from 2-4pm for our 40th Anniversary Celebration and you can see John W.'s contributions to our Charity Christmas Tree (including his North Carolina Lighthouse Ornaments)!
Here are some of Mary Ellen's contributions to our Charity Christmas Tree benefitting JDRF! Come see these and us this weekend!
New in the shop this morning: long-haired Brown Tabby, French Mastiff, and Collie blocks! John W. has been busy!
Have you seen Mary Ellen's beautiful new Topsail Sunset? No? No worries! Here's an easy fix: come see us tonight for Fourth Friday! We are here until 9pm.
Come to The Golden Gallery for the most comprehensive collection of regional imagery in watercolor, photography and local music. Opened in 1977 in The Cotton Exchange, the gallery has preserved memories for generations of Wilmingtonians and their visitors. From historic downtown vistas to waves lapping at the sandy shore, you will take home gifts and memories of your visit.
Mary Ellen Golden’s watercolors capture the low country light in landscape and floral images. We have originals and prints and many sizes.
John W. Golden’s photography puts you at Wrightsville Beach at dawn, on the Cape Fear River at sunset and in morning’s dappled light in the Historic district. His digital images range from dogs to fish to whimsical creatures for your nursery.
John C. Golden’s CDs enchant you with local songs and legends.
Port City Pottery & Fine Crafts
N Front StreetCFCC's Wilma W. Daniels Gallery
Hanover StreetPort City Pottery & Fine Crafts
N Front StreetBottega’s Northside Neighborhood Art Market
N 4th StreetTwangy Southern Wreaths and Bows
Carolina Beach Road