About us

“Did you ever wonder what happened to that girl from second grade that painstakingly handmade each valentine she passed out?  A few decades later and I’m all grown up, now - mostly, but given enough free time, I think I’d still make my own valentines…”

After years of construction paper and crayons, Rebecca Duffy Bush was formally trained at Bucknell University, earning degrees in Studio Art and Anthropology.  Her studies led her to a fascination with culture, folklore, and storytelling which can be seen in each of her pieces.  Practical post college employment brought a career in graphic design that moved her across the country and back, where she finally landed on the coast of North Carolina.  Rebecca loves to travel and continues to gain inspiration from the places she goes and the people she meets.

Rebecca began painting on canvas and has added greeting cards, limited prints and steel sculptures to her collection.  Also recently added is a line of handmade frames, handcrafted by both Rebecca and her husband, Timothy Bush.  These distressed wood frames are a perfect compliment to the bright, fun-but-sophisticated designs.  From trains and barnyard animals to octopi and mermaids, Rebecca and Tim’s art has splashed its way across the east coast and continues to grow in popularity with each show.  

    

On Valentine's day in 2009, they opened a permanent gallery in historic downtown Wilmington in Chandler's Wharf and invited a dozen of Wilmington's finest artists to join them in the adventure named River to Sea Gallery.  Six years later, on Valentine's Day in 2015, they moved across they doubled their gallery space, moving across the street to the Cape Fear Riverwalk.   This new space provided exhibit space for over 60 local artists and was home to Cape Fear Paint & Wine and Cape Fear Yoga.  River to Sea Gallery added locally made wine and beer to its growing list of offerings and held wine tastings, sunset private parties and live music on the riverwalk for six years.  Their rocking chairs were often full of tourists and locals and became one of the most popular spots for viewing the spectacular Cape Fear sunsets.    

In 2020 the coronavirus pandemic hit, shutting down the local economy and forcing retail stores to close.  Our storefront was no exception and we made the decision to pivot our business model from an in person brick and mortar store to an online platform.  We may go back to in person at some point in the future, once there is a vaccine for this nasty virus and it is once again safe to resume normal operations.  

Rebecca and Tim have three young children, Aidan (15) and Finley(13) and Amelia Jean (11).  Each day is a well balanced circus - filled with laughter, love, creativity and chaotic silliness.