By Krystle J Bailey
Dunes Art Gallery in Brigantine is filled from floor to ceiling with a multi-medium collection of art by various local creators. The gallery is owned and operated by two well-respected artists in our community, Charles Barbin and Randi Meekins. The duo, who recently got engaged, found one another through a shared love of the arts.
As an aspiring artist, Randi has been dabbling in various techniques throughout her life, never taking things too seriously until about seven years ago. Charles, on the other hand, attended Tyler School of Art and Architecture at Temple University and has taken an active role in the local art community over the last several years. When Randi set out to expand her art education, their worlds collided in such a way that resulted in breathtaking murals, a fully operating art gallery, and a wedding on the horizon.
Originally from Brigantine, Charles began working for a Philadelphia-based arts program after college and founded Amber Art and Design, a collective of like-minded artists. Three years ago, Barbin found his way back to the shore as he immersed himself in the growing buzz of the local artist community. Self-described as an abstract expressionist artist, Charles’ attraction to patterns, vibrant colors, and the various ways to apply paint to surfaces results in larger-than-life murals for all of us to enjoy.
“Close Encounters,” located on South Carolina Avenue in Atlantic City, features a mixed-media, vibrant jellyfish that can be seen from blocks away. Using rollers, aerosol, and brushes, Charles shares that he felt a deep sense of privilege to be able to create one of the biggest landmarks of art in Atlantic City.
During the 2020 Covid pandemic, Barbin stumbled upon a vacant store that has since become Dunes Art Gallery. The spontaneous decision to open the brick and mortar in July of 2020 has been fruitful in more ways than one.
Simultaneously, 32-year-old Randi Meekins had lost her job at a local cafe due to Covid and was ready for expansion when it came to her art career. She was seeking a more fulfilling life and had always loved creative expression, playing with colors, and flirting with the mystery behind art.
Taking advantage of the downtime, she answered Barbin’s call for local artists to come intern at his new gallery. Things took off as Meekins soaked in everything she could learn from Barbin, often creating until the wee hours of the morning. With the goal of increasing the gallery’s inventory and Randi’s hunger to learn, Barbin and Meekins began to create day after day, pumping out art that kept their dream alive.
In January 2021, Meekins and Barbin participated in the Transitions Happening art exhibit at Reed’s Farm, which would become Meekins’ first installation. As an aspiring artist on the cusp of expansion, that was where it all truly began for Meekins.
“Being able to learn from the artists that were there was incredible. I felt honored and grateful to be able to work with talent like that,” she explains.
Since then, Randi has continued to discover her creative voice through the use of mixed mediums, color combinations, and continued education from her now-fiance. Together, they recently finished a mural for the NAACP Convention in Atlantic City that took place last week. The mural featured African American women who were trailblazers for local students.
Meekins is currently working on a phrenology series that was revealed at the Pizza Box Art Show last month at Tony’s Baltimore Grill. The piece featured a colorful depiction of a mind that highlighted ingredients on the Tony’s menu. There are several more pieces to come in this series in the coming months.
When Randi and Charles aren’t busy creating murals around South Jersey, you will find them working and creating at their Brigantine-based gallery. The gallery features beach-themed art by a collection of artists from the area. Pieces are hung salon-style to highlight the large volume of work being celebrated at Dunes.
“The goal is to expose people to new art,” shares Barbin. “We enjoy introducing people to new artists who may not otherwise be fully educated about what is available.”
Through their shared creative journey, the pair found love. Last month, Barbin popped the question, and Randi joyfully agreed to spend her life by his side.
“For me, to do something that I love with someone that I love and have it all happen at the same time…my love cup is overflowing,” shares Meekins. “With both love and art, you go into them without expectations, and it becomes better than you ever thought it could be. Having someone who you trust and love teaching you things is a special kind of bond.”
There is so much more that lies ahead for Randi and Charles, including a mural at The Seed Brewery in Atlantic City, as well as their commitment to revitalizing Brigantine homes that had to be raised after Hurricane Sandy.
Keep up with Dunes Gallery at @DunesGallery on Instagram and www.DunesArtGallery.com.
Krystle J Bailey. Multimedia journalist, Author, Poet.
Connect with Krystle on Instagram @thedailybailey5
