THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995                    TAG: 9505040145
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST           PAGE: 25   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY MARY ELLEN RIDDLE 
        CORRESPONDENT 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   51 lines

THIS ARTIST CAN DO, AS WELL AS TEACH

There is an old statement, despised by many an art teacher, that has been floating around art circles for years: ``If you can't do it, you teach it.''

While this may be true for some folks, Manteo resident Nathan Newsome defies it.

This month, visitors to the Cooperative Bank for Savings will discover that the middle school art teacher is a very talented artist. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, with an art education degree from East Carolina University, 23-year-old Newsome came to Dare County last year well-prepared to show and teach art.

He describes the 10 pieces he has on display at the bank as contemporary and colorful. The works are a combination of landscapes and figurative pieces, including a social statement, all done in a similar style that Newsome is currently experimenting with.

Newsome is capable of doing realistic work but prefers a more personal approach, using color and shapes to invoke an emotional or visual response rather than simply replicate an object.

Working a variety of media, including pastels and inks and paint, he preserves freshness by taking an ``alla prima'' approach to his work. In 90 minutes to two hours, the skilled artist finishes an expressive statement. Newsome said working somewhat abstractly can get frustrating when folks question his drawing prowess.

``I almost feel like taking a super-realistic pen-and-ink drawing and hanging it in the show,'' Newsome said. ``Yeah, I can do it. Now let's move on.''

Newsome has a full palette these days, filled not only with brilliant colors, but also with many responsibilities at the school. He came to Manteo as the first student from his high school to become a four-sport letterman. On top of teaching art full-time, he coaches basketball and assists with football.

``I don't dread my job,'' he said. ``I feel passionately about life in general. I don't dread things. I look forward to things most people take for granted. I'm very passionate about learning. I would love to get further education, whether through school or everyday life.''

This month at the Cooperative Bank for Savings, Newsome will share a little bit of his heart and soul with the viewers, along with the art techniques that he's currently using in his journey as a professional artist. by CNB