Postcards from the Market: Four Years of Art & Coastal Inspiration

Four Years In...

Every Saturday morning at the Olde Beaufort Farmers Market, you’ll find me set up as Artificial by Kevin, surrounded by bold, colorful pieces that blend art and technology in a way that still surprises people. I create unique AI-assisted artwork, with my travel poster series becoming the most recognizable part of my booth—capturing places we all know and love along the Crystal Coast in a fresh, almost nostalgic way. This is my fourth year as a vendor, and what started as an experiment has grown into something I genuinely look forward to every week.

What continues to amaze me is how much the market has evolved in just a few short years. The energy, the variety of vendors, and the steady stream of visitors—it’s become something special. You’ll meet people from all over Eastern North Carolina, but also folks visiting from across the country and even around the world. There’s something really cool about watching someone connect with a piece of art because it reminds them of a place they just visited—or one they’re about to head to.

One of my favorite moments is early in the morning when the market is just getting going. You’ll catch that faint smell of suntan lotion drifting through the air, and you know exactly what that means—someone’s on their way to the beach or out on the boat, but they chose to start their day here. That’s what makes this place different. It’s not just a market—it’s part of the experience of being here on the coast. And I’m grateful to be a small part of it. 

Kevin Schafran ARTificial by Kevin