Members of Anglican Parish Church of the Apostles in Columbia, SC, Create Sacred Art

Members of downtown Anglican parish Church of the Apostles, in Columbia, SC, recently came together to fashion sacred art out of post-consumer waste. Under the direction of local artist, Kirkland Smith, graphic designer, Christy Goodman, and the church’s Arts Fellowship team, parishioners collected, donated, sorted, and arranged household disposable items for an Assemblage titled “The Life”. The piece will be on display at Vista Studios/Gallery 80808 during Vista Lights on Nov. 15, 2012, from 5 to 9pm.

Measuring 15 feet wide and 5 feet high at its center point, “The Life” depicts the life of Christ in a stylized way, representative of a traditional stained glass triptych. The side panels mirror each other with the Star of Bethlehem shining over the manger and the cross looming over the empty tomb. The center panel features the Tree of Life, stretched over rolling hills, mountain peaks, and a ribbon of river. Throughout the piece, a growing dawn lightens the sky from shades of blue to streaks of red, orange, and yellow. Items used to paint this pastoral scene include toys, trinkets, make-up containers, wine corks, bottle caps, beads, and every caulk gun that broke during assembly.

Last year, Church of the Apostles renovated a dilapidated church building on the corner of Hampton and Bull instead of building a new space for the growing parish. Members of the Arts Fellowship team designed “The Life” for the church to represent and honor that reclamation of a piece of downtown Columbia that many had written off as an eyesore. This theme of redeeming the discarded and undesirable has been a part of the culture of Church of the Apostles since its inception eight years ago.

“The Life” will be on display during Vista Lights on Nov.  15 from 5 to 9pm at Gallery 80808. It will be at the gallery from Nov. 8 to 27, before it is permanently installed in the Parish Hall at Church of the Apostles, 1520 Bull Street. Gallery hours are weekdays 11am to 3pm and weekends 1 to 4pm.  Please call the Gallery 80808 at 803/252-6134 to confirm hours. The website is (www.VistaStudios80808.com).

For more information or images, please contact Kirkland Smith by e-mail at (Kirkland@KirklandSmith.com).

The 2012 Durham Holiday Market Takes Place in Durham, NC – Nov. 17 & 18, 2012

Produced and presented by the Durham Arts Council, the Durham Holiday Market kicks off the holiday season with live music, festive food and stress-free shopping for unique, locally made gifts. Treat yourself and your family to this free and easy Third Friday and Saturday! The Market takes place on Nov. 16, from 5-9pm and Nov. 17, from 10am-4pm at the Durham Arts Council and other downtown sites!

The work of local visual and craft artists will be on display at the Durham Arts Council, Vega Metals, The Smitten Boutique, Claymakers, Urban Durham Realty, Bull City Arts Collaborative, Through This Lens Gallery, the West Village and Rock Paper Scissors Salon and Gallery. The Holiday Market program and map will be inserted in the Nov. 11 issue of the Herald-Sun and also posted at (www.durhamartwalk.com) so you can plot your route in advance.

Third Friday activities feature a 5-7pm reception for exhibits by David Baker, Matthew Litteken and Nuno Gomes in the DAC Galleries as well as the opening of the Durham Art Guild Annual Juried Show.

Family-friendly activities including holiday films and cartoons on view Saturday at the Durham Arts Council.

Live music scheduled at the Durham Arts Council Friday evening and Saturday, organized by Kirk Ridge of the North Carolina Songwriter’s Co-Op.

Also enjoy fantastic restaurants, Durham’s delicious food trucks include Olde North State BBQ on Friday night, American Meltdown on Saturday, and Cute and Sweet Boutique baked goods during the entire event!

The event is free and open to the public. Rain or shine.

Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, Offers 2012 CMA Holiday Artisans Fair and Sale – Nov. 10, 2012

Kicking off the holiday season in style, the Columbia Museum of Art Museum Shop hosts its annual Holiday Artisans Fair and Sale on Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, from 10am until 3pm in Columbia, SC. The popular juried event features 24 local artisans and boasts a dizzying array of handmade jewelry, ceramics, textiles, pine needle baskets, scarves, gourd birdhouses, ornaments and more in a wide range of styles, designs and pricing.

This five-hour event attracts scores of curious shoppers anxious to pounce on bargains for their holiday lists. Complimentary gift-wrapping is available. Admission is free to the Artisans Fair and Sale. Regular admission applies to visit the museum galleries, including the popular exhibition, Mark Rothko: The Decisive Decade 1940-1950. Galleries are open until 5pm.

Participating artisans include: Bohumila Augustinova, Mr. B’s, Clay Burnette, Pat Callahan, Candance Catoe, Andrew Coombs, Sara Cogswell, Libby Coynor, Marlena Crovatt-Bagwell, Karen Dickey, Bryce Dixon, MaryAnn Ehasz, Patz Fowle, Jima Gleason, Douglas E. Gray, Groovygarbage, Steve Harrell, Alicia Leeke, Leslie Pierce, Cindy Saad, Susan Shrader, Anne Soni, Kristina Stafford and Kelly Wenner.

Work by Patz Fowle

Work by Patz Fowle

CMA members receive an additional five percent off their regular Museum Shop discount during the event, and all purchases support exhibitions and education programs at the CMA. Memberships can be purchased online at columbiamuseum.org.

For more information on the Artisans Fair & Sale, call the Museum Shop at 803/343-2159.

New Photography Exhibit Coming To Dare County Arts Council Gallery in Manteo, NC

A new photography exhibit, Food for Thought – A Shared Promise and Responsibility, is set to open in Nov. 2 and continue through Dec. 5, 2012, at the Dare County Arts Council Gallery in Manteo, NC. There will be an opening reception November 2nd from 6-8pm at the Dare County Arts Council Gallery.

The exhibit is a collaboration between local organization Food for Thought and photographer Bill Lease of Manteo and New Bern, NC.

“Blue Swing” by Bill Lease

Since 2006, the all-volunteer non-profit Food for Thought has provided nutritious, child-pleasing, non-perishable breakfasts and lunches for children who meet specific criteria in Dare County each weekend during the school year. Since its founding, they have provided over 299,200 weekend meals to more than 2,260 children in Dare County.

For Bill Lease, this has been an evolving project. This is the third installment of a project originally developed in January 2011 to highlight the issues of hunger, poverty and homelessness within a community.

“The promise in each life is self-evident and deserves our full attention,” said Lease.

The exhibit consists of a collection of photographs and associated text supporting community efforts to increase awareness about these very present, significant issues.

Originally unveiled in Craven County, the exhibit at Dare County Arts Council’s Gallery focuses on the nutritional needs of younger school-age children in Dare County.

Proceeds from this exhibit will directly benefit Food for Thought, whose distribution center is located in Manteo.

Dare County Arts Council will also feature the artwork of popular Outer Banks artist Munroe Bell and his students from Nov. 2 to Dec. 5, 2012.

A long-time supporter of the Arts Council, Bell teaches an ongoing drop-in painting class at the Manteo Gallery.
This class has produced an abundance of talented artists, who will be showing their work along with their instructor, including Laura Beasley, Boo Beasley, Sally Scarborough, Sis Hall, Gail Midgett, Tra Perry, Brenda Zaytoun, Martha MacFadden and Connie Wescott.

“Munroe Bell’s students are all quite talented and we are excited to showcase their work. They exhibit a range of styles and subject matter, and seeing their work together with Munroe’s is really a visual treat,” said Dare County Arts Council Gallery Director Fay Davis Edwards.

The Dare County Arts Council Gallery is located at 300 Queen Elizabeth Avenue in Manteo.

For more information call 252/473-5558 or visit (www.darearts.org) or (www.foodforthoughtobx.org).

Riverfront Park in Conway, SC, Has Been Bombed! Yarn Bombed That Is

CREATE! Conway, the Dixie Knitters and 20 fiber artists have installed “Dancing with Wool,” the largest ever yarn bomb installation in South Carolina! The bomb site is the Riverfront Park at 3 Elm Street in Conway. The exhibit is on view now until Dec. 1, 2012.

Over 27,000 yards of yarn went into creating the 25 yarn bombs which have been installed at Riverfront Park, most reaching 12 feet in height.

The mission of CREATE! Conway™, Inc., a non-profit educational and charitable organization, is to maximize the cultural and business potential of Conway, South Carolina through exhibition, performance, demonstration and promotion of all forms of art. Our vision is to create, develop, nurture and promote art in all venues and levels for the community of Conway. The downtown Conway Historic District is our canvas, stage and gallery.

The Dixie Knitters a loosely knit group of local fiber artists who make art that is focused on color and design using yarn. They are working on several “Yarn Bombing” projects in the Conway, SC, and Myrtle Beach, SC, area. Fiber artists, knitters, and crocheters of all skill levels are welcome to join and participate in upcoming projects. We make our projects as green as possible. The overall idea is to use up-cycled materials.

To find out more, call Barbara Streeter at 843/248-3558.

Columbia Museum of Art in Columbia, SC, Wins Awards for Art Education From the South Carolina Art Education Association

The Columbia Museum of Art received two awards from the South Carolina Art Education Association (SCAEA) on Friday, Oct. 26, 2012, at a reception during the annual development conference in Myrtle Beach, SC.

The CMA received the 2012 SCAEA Business Supporter of Art Education Award for its dedication in providing learning opportunities for students, teachers and the community. The CMA first won this award in 2004.

“The CMA is a motivating and supportive force for the visual arts in South Carolina,” SCAEA Past President, Steven Bailey, said. “They have provided a location for the exhibition of many artists and works that would not otherwise be available. They have also been very supportive of the arts scene by providing space for exhibitions, celebrations, classes, talks and lectures. Specifically, they have provided studio space for the National Arts Honors Society conventions, conferences and board meetings. The CMA has gone out of its way to be generous and supportive.”

CMA Director of Education, Kerry Kuhlkin-Hornsby, was named 2012 SCAEA Museum Art Educator of the Year for the development of many innovative and popular education programs. This award is based on outstanding teaching and program development, strong advocacy for the arts and a history of active participation in SCAEA at the local and state level.

“Kerry is a tireless art educator who has made impressive strides in all aspects of museum education,” USC Associate Professor of Art, Karen Heid, said. “Most notably, she works with community and state organizations to build partnerships and works to expand the summer programming, the docent corps and the opportunities for visual arts teachers around the state.”

For further info contact the Columbia Museum of Arts by calling 803/799-2810 or visit (www.columbiamuseum.org).

The Book “100 Southern Artists” is Now Available

100 Southern artists portray their work in pastels, clay, wood, and other contemporary mediums. In personal essays, artists talk about their work, their visions, and their lives.

Take a fresh look at the magical and insightful compositions of artists living in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Here, 100 living artists delineate their creative expression through their personal stories and inspirations, along with several examples of their works. In oil, pastels, sculpture, and wood, with a diversity of styles and influences, including pop surrealism, realism, and expressionism, these artists capture the rich traditions of the south and our world. Essential reading for all who appreciate or practice art today. Foreword by Paula Allen, a Southern painter, sculptor, and illustrator.

E. Ashley Rooney has written several art books, including “100 New England Artists” (2010), “100 Mid-Atlantic Artists” (2011), “100 Midwestern Artists” (2012), and “Artisan Furniture: Bespoke, Studio, and One-of a Kind” (2012).

Schiffer Publishing, Ltd. is based in Atglen, PA, on the Schiffer Book Farm. The company is known for publishing high quality Antique, Arts, Architecture, Lifestyle, and Military History books, as well as a successful line of children and ghost books. Schiffer Publishing is always looking for people to write books on new and related subjects. If you have an idea for a book, please contact them at (proposals@schifferbooks.com).

Book Details
ISBN: 978-0-7643-4241-7
Size: 8 1/2 x 11
Illustrations: 628 color images
Page Count: 224
Hard Cover
Price: $45.00

This title and over 5,000 Schiffer titles can be purchased at (www.schifferbooks.com), your local bookseller, and numerous online retailers.

Third Annual Art Around Caldwell Studio Tour Takes Place Throughout Caldwell County, NC – Nov. 10, 2012

Over 25 artists at 16 locations throughout Caldwell County, NC, will open their studios and gather together in galleries and feature their work in public locations for the Third Annual Art Around Caldwell Studio Tour, Saturday, Nov. 10, 2012, from 10am-5pm.

A variety of art forms are represented on the Studio Tour, including paintings, pottery, bath & body products, photography, folk art, macrame, stamping, greeting cards, & metal working –  this is a wonderful opportunity to find unique items for holiday giving!

Artists will be in several locations in downtown Lenoir and also in outlying studios in Happy Valley, Granite Falls, Quest 4 Life, Valmead, Cedar Rock & Ferguson.  Look for the Art Around Caldwell Tour signs.

Your tour brochure & map are available in advance at the Caldwell Arts Council, 601 College Avenue, Lenoir, NC.

Along with your tour brochure, grab a raffle sheet – visit four in-town locations and four out-lying studios for a chance to win $100 cash from Caldwell Arts Council!

Contact the Caldwell Arts Council at 828/754-2486 or visit our website at (www.caldwellarts.com) for more information. This event is sponsored by Life Store Insurance, Forbes Printing, and the City of Lenoir Tourism Development Board.

Caldwell Arts Council in Lenoir, NC, Calling for Applications – Deadline Nov. 15, 2012

A scholarship has been established by the Stevens Family in honor of their mother, Allene Broyhill Stevens. Scholarship funds will be used to cover tuition & $150 in supplies cost for selected Caldwell County experienced visual artists to attend a 2013 workshop at Cheap Joe’s in Boone.

Completed applications are due by 5pm, Nov. 16, 2012.

For more information, contact the Caldwell Arts Council at 828/754-2486 or visit their website at (www.caldwellarts.com) and click on Programs to print a copy of the application.

Janette Grassi and Doni Jordan Create an Installation at West Elm in Charlotte, NC

Charlotte, NC, artist Janette Grassi and Columbia, SC, artist Doni Jordan, collaborators since 1999, have created a one-of-a-kind art installation in the windows at West Elm. To celebrate the installation, the artists and West Elm will be hosting a reception on Nov. 1, 2012, from 6-9pm. West Elm is located at 1100 Metropolitan Avenue in the Midtown area of Charlotte, NC.

Known for helping customers express their personal style at home with products that are authentic, affordable and accessible, West Elm Charlotte recently established a collaborative program with local artists to exhibit art and to share their creative spirit by designing window installations. Grassi and Jordan are the first artists selected to participate in this collaborative venture. “Connecting with our community and  celebrating local artists and crafters is a priority for us,” said West Elm Charlotte General Manager, Jerry Gardner. “It’s amazing to be able to inspire our customers with an installation created by artists from our own backyard.”

Combining color, texture, patterns, visual repetition and typography in the massive storefront windows that overlook the skyline of Charlotte, Grassi and Jordan created a wall of possibilities in home design. Inspired by the words of American poet Emily Dickinson, dwell in possibility, they created a wall of art and found objects that reflect art, architecture and create a sense of history in the home. The art installation includes individual art created by Grassi and Jordan, West Elm products and found objects.

Grassi is an abstract painter and includes works on canvas from her character series. Jordan creates assemblages made of found objects and includes items from her current body of work, tomes, a collection of heavy books. Both Grassi and Jordan have long been creative collectors of vintage items and the installation also includes vintage printers trays, portable typewriters, textile spools and shuttles and wooden boxes.

West Elm products featured in the window include a Kuba Crescent bench, a Parsons Wall Mirror in natural solid wood, Kite Kilim Floor Poofs and a Mongolian Lamb Pillow Cover.

On Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, from 6-9pm, West Elm will host an evening of art at the Metropolitan@Midtown location. Grassi and Jordan will be present to share their work and West Elm associates will be available to aid customers in their selections. West Elm Home Stylist, Quintel Gwinn will available to assist customers with design services including space planning and art hanging.

In Oct. of 2011, Grassi and Jordan created an art installation of 50 painted chairs titled reserve your seat to benefit Nature’s Theater, the upcoming premier 500-seat outdoor performance venue at Saluda Shoals Park in the Midlands of South Carolina. This award winning art installation brought public art into the park and increased exposure and donations to the efforts to build a performing arts venue at Saluda Shoals.

Janette Grassi is a native of St. Louis, MO. She now lives and creates in Charlotte. She spent her childhood and teen years in St. Louis and realized at five years of age that she was an artist. She attended Webster College where she studied fine art including sculpture, drawing and painting. Her journey to fulfill her childhood dream to study at a college devoted to art was achieved when she was accepted to the Rhode Island School of Design after raising her children and seeing them off to college. After completing her schooling she moved to Columbia, SC, to pursue her dream of becoming a full time artist. Renting a studio in the Vista she began her career as a painter. Her focus turned from graphic design to abstract painting and she began to build a body of work and have her first one woman show at Gallery 80808. Since then she has participated in many shows made many art donations to raise money for causes close to her heart, rediscovered her love of collage, collaborated with Jordan on art installations, created fiber, book and recycled art. Janette is in many collections from private to public and continues to create art full time.

Doni Jordan is a 2001 BFA graduate of the University of South Carolina (USC). She was recently inducted into the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) in New York City. Jordan explores multiple mediums of art. Trained as a graphic designer, her love of design and typography is reflected in the art she creates. Inspired by the works of Anni Albers, Ida Kohlemeyer, Alexander Calder, Louise Nevelson, Robert Motherwell, Mark Rothko and Robert Rauschenberg, she creates assemblages, collages, book art, art installation, art textiles and steel sculptures.

For further info call West Elm at 704/333-0642 or Doni Jordan by e-mail at (donisjordan@gmail.com).