Sporting Art Fair

Calling all lovers of the great outdoors! Join us for our fifth annual Sporting Art Fair (#SAF2026) at Leland Little, taking place both on the grounds and inside the gallery. This vibrant community event is presented by partners deeply connected – both personally and professionally – to the world of sporting art. The Sporting Art Fair is for everyone.

Exhibitions, Booths, Refreshments, & More

- Get to know the Fine Sporting Arms Department at Leland Little with Fine Sporting Arms Specialist Bill Graham, who will be offering guided tours at select times throughout the day

- Featured Artist, John Beerman

- Blacksmith demonstrations with artist, Tony Helms

- Featured Decoy Carver, Casey Arthur

- Learn the art of fly fishing through a hands-on experience with Ollie Smith

- See the Core Sound Decoy Carvers Guild in Action

- Deep River Sporting Clays and Shooting School

- The North Carolina Rifle & Pistol Association (NCRPA)

- Spend time with Wild Rose Labradors as you learn about dog training and interact with some exceptional examples of well-trained dogs

- Enjoy fresh oysters courtesy of Pleasure House Oysters

- Brisket, BBQ, and much more will be available for purchase from Southern Harvest Catering Company

-Whiskey tastings with Cooks Mill Whiskey

This event is free. RSVP is requested but not required

Featured Artist

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1958, John Beerman studied at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and earned his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. A 2008 New York Times article describes Beerman as a modern transcendentalist painter and quotes the artist as seeing himself "in the tradition of the Luminist offshoots of the Hudson River School" (Susan Dominus, "Linked to the Hudson, by Love, Art and History," New York Times, 2008). Beerman goes on to explain that he particularly resonates with the Hudson River School artists' stillness, their subtle and non-painterly brushwork, their broad skies, and the contemplative nature of their paintings.

After living in New York for more than twenty-six years and acquiring a strong following there, Beerman returned to the South and now resides and practices in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Beerman's work is represented in major museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; and others.

Featured Decoy Carver

Casey Arthur is a North Carolina–based decoy carver who is deeply influenced by the early Stacy school decoy makers such as Mitchell Fulcher and Andrew Mason. Drawing inspiration from the rich decoy-carving heritage of the Carolinas, Casey’s work emphasizes accurate anatomy, natural posture, and traditional paint patterns that reflect the character of live birds.
Working primarily in wood, Casey creates decorative and gunning-style decoys that honor classic Eastern carving traditions while maintaining an individual artistic voice. Each piece is carefully hand-carved and painted, with close attention paid to balance, flow, and realism.
Through dedication to craft and respect for the history of decoy carving, Casey Arthur continues to contribute to North Carolina’s long-standing waterfowl art tradition.

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Host or Publisher Leland Little