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By Kristen de Deyun Kirk

Wayne Stallings, owner of Imagine Art Studios in Smithfield, simply wanted more space. His studio had been open for almost 15 years and its 1,200 square feet were not enough. So when he saw the space at 131 Main Street, he decided to move.

Who could resist? The new location offered 5,200 square feet and several rooms, perfect for showing off different types of art created by everyone from world-famous artists to local high school students bursting with potential. And, of course, with so much space, there would be even room for Wayne to continue his custom framing services.

Wayne moved in last September and immediately started thinking of ways to keep his business' momentum going.

He attended an art dealer's seminar in Richmond and learned more about Mort Künstler, who has been called "America's Artist". Mort was working on a new piece in collaboration with the Jamestown 2007 celebration.

Wayne wanted in: He wanted to be the gallery that introduced the painting to the world. A few phone calls to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation later, Wayne secured it. On May 19 and 20, The New World painting will be in his gallery - along with the artist himself.

In a phone conversation from his Long Island, New York home, Mort recalled that the 26-by-42 painting came about his friendship with the Gilmores. Yes, those Gilmores.

Former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore is a huge Mort fan. Prints of several of Mort's civil war paintings had hung in Gov. Gilmore's office, and his wife, Roxane, a history professor, also appreciated Mort's commitment to accurately painting - as close as possible - moments from America's past.

The original plan was for Mort to create five or six paintings - the first winter, the first religious celebration, and so on.

Mort, however, decided to paint what he calls the "definitive Jamestown" painting. He's aware of one other painting that captures the scene of the crew setting foot on land at Jamestown in 1607, but he believes it was painted in the 1950's, long before archeological digs were conducted and more details were discovered.

Accuracy is important to Mort, and he prides himself in conducting vigorous research before he starts painting any subject.

For The New World, he worked with Colonial National Historical Park Chief Historian Nancy Egloff, and Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Communications Specialist Robert Jeffrey. He visited the exact landing spot (which coincidentally had a terrain similar to Mort's current back yard); learned the time of day of the landing (early morning); and saw replicas of the three ships used in the voyage - the Susan Constant, the Godspeed and the Discovery.

Mort painted The New World over the course of two months. He paid careful attention to the fact that shadows would come from the left as the sun rose to the left of the landing site; he captured the real struggles the soldiers experienced by showing one working to keep a "match-lock" gun lit; and he replicated exactly the decorations on the flagship, Susan Constant. The ship was tied to a tree, but others were readily available for a quick escape in case Indians decided to attack (as they had the night before, says Mort.) Soldiers pointing guns surround a small group bearing a slightly different British flag, the Union Jack, and a white flag with a red cross, the "Cross of St. George," which had been England's flag before the Union Jack.

The painting draws you in with not just its contents, but also its composition. Large branches jet form the lower corners toward the painting's center where the group stands and the dawn light radiates.

You could spend hours looking at the armor, the explorers' faces, and the shipmates standing on deck - but don't waste time trying to find John Smith: He's not there.

"He was locked down below in shackles," says Mort.

The artist was checking limited-edition prints of his painting as he reminisced about its creation a few weeks back. He takes the prints' quality as seriously as the original's. He likes to inspect each for the colors. He then planned to personally sign each one and get them ready for purchase.

Mort will sell his prints for $225 on May 19 and 20 at Imagine Art Studios. Limited-edition gicleés will also be available for $575. Sales are now being accepted at Imagine Art Studios.

Of course, you could always buy the original, too.

The price? $68,000.

"We don't know if we can sell it," says Imagine Art Studios Owner Wayne, "but that's our goal."

Remember, Wayne thinks big.

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