Chincoteague Island .Net

Chris Holmes has been painting the Chincoteague Ponies for 25 years. Maybe you have seen one of his pony posters, or the portrait of Main Street as it was in 1989 before the park was developed. Watercolor is his medium and his style very often leaves significant areas of white space in the painting. He has done some work on commission in Chincoteague including a painting of the old church in the historical display at Christ United Methodist on Church Street . Starting at 7pm on Saturday, September 13, Chris will be painting at his easel in front of Island Butterfly at 4107 Main Street in conjunction with the Second Saturday Art Show. Originals and prints will be for sale through Island Butterfly.

All of the artist’s profit from the sale of his paintings will go to the Muchenge Orphan Trust in Zimbabwe . Chris has led many teams of workers to Zimbabwe and helped to establish community cooperatives to care for children whose parents have died of AIDS. In the Muchenge village, about the population of Chincoteague, there are 500 children who no longer have living parents to care for them. Because there are no orphanages, the oldest child becomes the head of the household and while trying to survive cares for the younger siblings. The Orphan Trust provides trained care-givers and funds to assist these “child-headed households.” Chris is an ordained United Methodist pastor now serving as the District Superintendent of 75 churches in the Annapolis area. He and his family often spend time at their family home on Willow Street here in Chincoteague. Come by Island Butterfly on Saturday, September 13, and say “hi” to Chris.