Greensboro Daily Photo

Gray Gardens- Arts and Crafts Show

We have entered the season of arts and crafts pop ups, church bazaars, and local shows, giving local entrepreneurs a chance to sell directly to the public. The above photo was one such event, held yesterday, a Holiday Market at the Gray Gardens venue in Summerfield. There were over 40 vendors, the Hummingbird Food Truck, and Jim Mayberry singing and playing acoustic guitar. The food truck was very popular, vendors seemed to be popular with the crowd, and Jim's repertoire was impressive. Additionally, weather was perfect- sunny and in the mid 60. The above photo features the large tent on the property,  known as The Gardens at Gray Gables where a wide array of events are held.  This property is located just a few miles north of the northern limits of Greensboro. 

Opportunities to purchase Christmas gifts and items for holiday decorating are everywhere. A Greensboro favorite, The Craftsmen's Christmas Classic will be held Thanksgiving weekend in the Greensboro Coliseum. This marks the 50th year of the show. Also, Saturday is Small Business Saturday. So, make your list, check it twice and, pace yourself.

Happy Monday!

 

Chalkware Vignette by Lori Gray

Tis fair season. The Central Carolina Fair in Greensboro, a tradition since 1898, closed yesterday. The NC State Fair opens Thursday, October 12th in Raleigh. It will be full of exhibits and carnival rides and games. For years, chalkware was de rigeur at carnivals- from the early 1900s to the 1950s. Before stuffed animals were prizes, chalkware pieces were given to those whose carnival game skills merited a prize. The above collection is on display at Antique Market Place on Burnt Poplar Road. Lori Gray assembled the collection into this wonderful vignette. With the top piece with lights and the drapes, it is as if you are at a carnival and get to select your prize from the lot. However, the collection is being sold together, not piece by piece. 

Lori is a master vignette artist and nostalgia maker. She has a booth at the Antique Market Place and has a way of taking seemingly disparate items and pulling them together into a picture perfect scenes that evoke memories: Being in grandma's kitchen; hanging out in the living room of a dear family friend; sitting in a mod kitchen; preparing for a day of fun and games; and on, and on. We went this weekend just to visit this staging of her chalkware. Some lucky person will leave with a mighty fine collection. There is everything from the original kewpie dolls to Disney figures. We're wondering how many of these were won at the Central Carolina Fair. If you are local, head out and see this collection. The fair may have left town, but the collection is still here! Never again will you see so many pieces of chalkware in one place at one time! 

Happy Monday!

Gin Wall, Talented Felter at Greensboro Farmers Market

If you're at the Greensboro Farmers Market on Yanceyville Street today and you like all things felted, stop by and visit Gin.  Originally from Kansas, Gin Wall studied horticulture and zoo agriculture, putting her knowledge of plants and animals to good use in her career at the North Carolina Zoo. The felted plants and animals reflect her knowledge of flora and fauna; Gin probably doesn't even have to look at anything for a reference. On the day we visited, Gin was working on a custom order of a giant felted pea pod filled with big felted peas. She learned crafting from her mother and has turned felting and crocheting into a full-time gig, now that she's retired from the zoo. 

If you can't make it to the farmers market today, tomorrow is Curiosities of the Curb, an afternoon filled with artists who cater to people who like a little whimsy in their art. Also, there will be antiques and plenty of upcycled items at the event. We don't think Gin will be there though.  Stop by today to visit her booth and soak in all of the many shade of green so prevalent in spring.

Happy Saturday!

Dunbar Street Jewelry by Annette

Annette Speaks designs jewelry and sells it at the Greensboro Curb Market on Yanceyville Street. Annette paints everything by hand, often from natural items, like cherry pits and pistachio shells. She also uses junk mail, converting it to pulp to form beads. Annette creates pieces that tell a story. On one pair of earrings, the front side is a scene of downtown with houses and the back side is a scene of uptown with apartment buildings- four original paintings on a pair of earrings. Another pair of earrings is a scene of indigenous women, showing their connection to earth. The necklace in front of  Annette, in the above photo, has over 30 faces on the front and 30 on the back. If you wear it, you have over sixty people with you; quite an array of ethnicities, skin colors, and ages. Each of her pieces is unique and truly a work of art. After the last presidential election, Annette mailed a necklace to Vice President Kamala Harris and a member of VP Harris's staff called to learn more about the necklace with special interest in how long it took Annette to make it.

Professionally, Annette worked with senior citizens overseeing their craft making, honing her own artistic skills along the way. This Page High School alum. is one of Greensboro's great urban, folk artists. If you love memorable, wearable art, you are sure to get comments when wearing this jewelry. Annette should be at the market today. If you see her, show her this photo. We don't think we'll get by today. 

Happy Saturday!

'Tis the Season, Indeed!

The above photo was taken at yesterday's "MADE 4 THE HOLIDAYS" Market at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market on Yanceyville Street. The weather was cool, but sunny, and the event was well attended. It was so nice to see the market full of artists and crafters; actually, there were also vendors even vendors outside. Vendors able to return inside as renovations are now complete. One part of the renovation was the painting of the braces on the ceiling. The black paint not only looks nice, it is said to be more durable than the finish that had been there previously.

To the left, you see lights for sale at Gardner's Garden, perfect for outdoor, holiday decorating. The people who sell the 3' lighted stars were there (lights are attached to wooden sticks and can be used indoors or outside). The next Made 4 the Holidays event will be Sunday, December 4th from 11:00 am- 4:00 pm. In the meantime, there are shows popping up everywhere, from people's homes to church fellowship halls, to independent stores, to The Craftsmen's Christmas Classic Art & Craft Festival at the Greensboro Coliseum (November 25-27). There are about 6 weeks until Christmas. Please make every effort to shop local. The artist and crafters yesterday were all talking about how wonderful it felt to be back in person and interacting with their old customers and making new. They are ready for us! Head out and see that renovated farmers market.

Happy Monday!

Jay Schiavone, Jewelry Artist

This past weekend, we had an opportunity to attend Jay Schiavone's jewelry and art show at his home in Oak Ridge. Jay lives on about 6 acres where he designs and makes his lovely aluminum art jewelry. The jewelry is fun and functional. He sells his jewelry through about 400 retailers nationwide. Additionally, he sells his jewelry online. He also, on occasion, sells his jewelry in a home show which is how we finally got to meet him. On the day we were there, his mother was also at the show selling her lovely paintings. 

We got really tickled the day we arrived at Jay's show. His house is surrounded by very mature oak trees and, right now, the acorn carpet is 3-4" thick. People visiting the show were asked to park in a field back from the house as the acorns drop with great force. The squirrels will be having a field day at Jay's house. Jay has quite a following of people who collect his jewelry. Several people were at the show buying jewelry for themselves as well as for gifts. Jay very generously gave everyone who attended a gift of an ornament/pendant. They are lovely.

Fall is a great time for in-home shows. If you are having one, let us know and we will try to attend. Happy Wednesday!

Here is a good example of Jay's jewelry.

Starmount Presbyterian Church, Admiring the Furniture

Today's view is of the interior of Starmount Presbyterian Church on West Market Street. The pulpit and the table are two of the three pieces made by local Presby member The Reverend Dr. Erich Thompson.* The furniture is special, given that it is made locally and that Rev. Thompson made it from the wood from pews- removed from the church after being replaced during a renovation. Another special feature of the pulpit is that the wiring for the sound system runs through the front left leg.

Before taking up woodworking, Rev. Thompson served as a preacher in Virginia and North Carolina. At first, woodworking was a hobby, but now, he no longer actively preaches and, instead focuses on creating furnishing for sacred spaces. His furniture-making business was founded in 2003, making it almost 20 years of designing furniture to fit the exact needs of given sacred spaces. This is almost the same amount of time he served as a congregational and worship leader.**

If you get a chance, attend a service at Starmount Presbyterian and you will be able to admire Rev. Thompson's beautiful furniture. We wish we'd captured more of the stained glass window in the background, as it is also beautiful. The window is comprised of rough, thick glass chunks and it complements Rev. Thompson's furniture quite well. Both exude great craftsmanship, are sturdy, and are more modern than traditional. If you are interested in attending a service, the church is located at 3501 West Market Street. Sunday morning service is at 10 am and available in person and live-streamed (see Facebook). You might even get a chance to meet Rev. Thompson!

Happy Sunday!

 

*The third piece in the church is a baptismal font.

** Reference and Rev. Thompson's website: HERE.

4th Annual Holiday Invitational at CVA

The non-profit, Center for Visual Artists has been open in Greensboro since 1956:That is quite a legacy of celebrating local art and supporting artists. If you have any extra time this week, head down to the Cultural Arts Center on Davie Street and have a look at all of the galleries throughout the  facility. Also, if you are looking for last minute gifts, the Center for Visual Artists is holding their 4th Annual Holiday Invitational. You can buy so many interesting items from local artists. Christmas will sneak up on us this year, given it is on a Saturday and Christmas Eve is on a Friday night. That gives us four more shopping days until Christmas. Even if you don't need gifts, it is nice to get out and see some great art. CVA will be open Tue, Wed, and Thur this week. Here is a link to CVA's website so you can see hours and learn more about the show and plan a visit this week.

Happy Monday!

Jerry's Artarama

Happy December 1st! Do you recognize this mural? Anybody in Greensboro who ever needs art supplies probably knows this is Jerry's Art Supply Wholesale Club. For a ¢20 a year membership, your purchases are over 50% off. Prices are so low that if you see it, you better buy it. Sometimes they are purchasing clearance items and when they are gone.. they are gone. Jerry's is located right along I-40 at Farragut Street. When we were there before they opened yesterday morning, the sun was shining and already casting shadows. To take the photo we stood under a crepe myrtle tree and love the texture its berries add to the photo. 

Jerry's opened  is based out of Raleigh, N.C. It opened in Long Island in 1968, so it has been around fro 53 years. What an amazing resource for artists. As an example, the member price for 8x10" flat canvases is less than $1.00 each, That even beats thrift shop prices. We loved the mural on the wall, but forgot to ask who the artist was. As you are planning the rest of the week, don't forget that Friday is First Friday and downtown will be hopping- especially the ice skating. As for now, we'll just sit back and enjoy looking at this photo of Jerry's Artarama.

Learning about Day of the Dead at MCUNCG

Dr. Janis L. Antonek, photographed above, is standing beside the Day of the Dead altar she constructed with help from her students and in collaboration with local artist Beka Butts. The exhibit is installed at the Middle College at the University of North Carolina Greensboro (MCUNCG). It is displayed in the hallway for all students to enjoy, not just those taking Spanish this semester. The papel picado/cut paper, the lettering, and the tissue paper flowers were all made by students at the school. The goal of the project is to make it possible for students to make Mexican art and to learn about the practices, products, and perspectives centered around Mexican culture. Even though the theme of MCUNCG is health and life sciences, there are many students at the school who enjoy art. This project is an opportunity to incorporate visual art into the Spanish language curriculum.

The Endowment Grant Committee of the North Carolina Delta Kappa Gamma Educational Foundation awarded Dr. Antonek a 2021 MAXINE AND DON McCALL ENDOWMENT GRANT for Gifted Education or Fine Arts. Dr. Antonek was delighted to receive the grant because it is making it possible to collaborate with local artists, to purchase supplies, and to let students make art. Dr. Antonek says the students really seem to be enjoying learning about Mexican art and culture.

(photo credit T. Hefner).

The Ever Creative Angela Cook

Today, we're featuring Angela Cook (standing) who moved to Greensboro in 1988 to attend college and has been an active community member ever since. She worked as an educator for 16 years, and, over the past 12 years, Angela has worked with her husband to build Cedar Hill Physical Therapy & Wellness Center. While she loves working at Cedar Hill, her passion is art and creativity. For a long time she has been looking for a way to work in the field of art and to hone her own artistic talent. In the above photo, she is facilitating a creativity class where participants worked on thinking positively about their artistic journeys. Angela is holding a couple of canvases with positive and uplifting words related to her personal artistic journey. 

Last December, just after her 53rd birthday, and in the height of the pandemic, Angela signed up for a class at The School at A Space for Conscious Living. The class was based on Julia Cameron's book "It's Never Too Late to Begin Again: Discovering Creativity and Meaning at Midlife and Beyond." Angela says the twelve-week course was exactly what she needed to reignite her creative spark. As the end of the course drew near and not wanting the discussions to end, she asked her friends if they would be interested in reading the book. She set up a Facebook group and named it Creative Souls. The Greensboro Public Library ordered a set of the books and Angela's group has been using it over the summer.* As her group read the book and worked through the tasks, Angela found the discussions intriguing and meaningful. She came to realize that creativity is more than the production of art. Creativity can lead us to being more insightful; and empathetic; to be better problem solvers, and to do our best work. This fall, Angela will start a program to become certified as a creativity coach. Last Saturday's creative painting session was very successful; a great indication that Angela will have a great career ahead of her. And in three months, her online group has grown from six to forty five! Best of luck, Angela!

*a set of 15 is available for Greensboro book clubs to check out.

 

Make Shift Jewelry and Wood-burnings

At the last arts and crafts event at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, Haley Garris' table really caught our eye. While this artist lives in Durham* , she recently made the trek to Greensboro to sell here. An art teacher by profession, Haley makes these lovely wooden works of art by night as a way to unwind from a busy day of teaching. The pieces are very creative and reflect Haley's talent. The large piece in the middle took twenty hours to make. 

Haley is originally from Virginia and did her art training at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. How wonderful that she relocated to North Carolina. Haley also makes jewelry and is photographed with one of her own necklaces. You can purchase her work online, or, even better, find her at  the farmers market in Durham, and, if we are lucky, at more events in Greensboro.

Have a great Thursday and stay warm!

* see her Etsy and Instagram page at @MakeShiftDurham

Interior View of Greek Orthodox Church: Stained Glass Windows

Today's post is a view of one of the stunning stained glass windows inside the Greek Orthodox Church in Greensboro. Dormition of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church had the windows installed in 1988. They were made in Mentor, Ohio by Mosack's, a company that specializes in church related items. The windows are a sight to behold when the sun is shining through them. They cast a glow on the whole sanctuary. As you look around inside, so many scenes from Christ's life and the Virgin Mary's life are told in the windows.

If you ever attend an event at the church, it is usually possible to find someone who will show you the inside. The iconostasis is also breathtaking. The church is located at 800 Westridge Road, at the corner of Friendly Avenue. Services have resumed at the church, however, they are making every effort to be COVID safe, including checking temperatures on the way in. Happy Sunday!

Earth and Iron Pottery

This past weekend, an arts and crafts event was held at the Greensboro Curb Market on Yanceyville. As you can see from the above photo, several booths were open empty. However, those vendors who were able to set up seemed to be having a good show. The event had been rescheduled due to rain. Shoppers seemed happy to have an opportunity to to get out and buy in person and local. The above pottery is made by Danielle and Todd Fain. Danielle, Todd's wife, is the main potter; however, she was not able to attend on Sunday and sent their daughter in her stead.

Earth and Iron came into existence when Danielle was diagnosed with MS- after having been a North Carolina nurse for 25 years. Unable to work in her chosen profession, Danielle retrained as a potter, a profession that is more compatible with the challenges of MS. Now, with COVID, Danielle has to be extra careful avoid public events. In spite of all health obstacles, the Fain family is not one to just sit home and do nothing. Their pottery is a joyful expression of  love of working with clay. They are usually seen with a booth at local festivals, especially at Shakori Hills, a venue just down the road from their Snow Camp home. Those "wine" cups, with the dimples for the thumb, are great for all beverages. If you want some of this pottery, contact the Fains at [email protected]  Hopefully, they will be back for the MADE 4 the Holidays Arts, Crafts & Pottery Market on Sunday, November 15th.

People of Greensboro: Beverly Ramsey, Maskmaker

Since May, Beverly Ramsey has made over 4,000 masks and gives them away every Sunday, starting at 10:00 am. Quickly, they are gone. Beverly is an early childhood educator (and also a paralegal) who lost her position when COVID came along and childcare centers had to close. To focus on something productive, she recruited her mom to help her sew masks. Beverly first started using up the cotton fabric from her sewing room and made about 75 masks a week. Lately, she has been sewing 350 a week, which, even she admits, is a little daunting. Now, Beverly purchases fabric and focuses on a weekly theme. The theme for the past week was baseball. Previous themes have been, voting, dogs, cats, music, and sharks- to name a few. When we asked her how many she makes a day, she said that she can't really answer that because they set up a sort of assembly line and one day may be a day for cutting fabric and another for sewing. While there is no fee for the masks, she depends on donations to keep the project going. 

On the day we were there, people were thanking Beverly and telling her how much they enjoy the masks. Some were getting masks for family members, friends, and friends of friends. Admittedly, we took a few extra to give to people who weren't able to get out and get one for themselves.Greensboro is so lucky to have people like Beverly who help bring people together and are community oriented. Beverly says she loves hanging out in her yard on Sunday mornings, enjoying the fellowship with people who stop by for masks. This mask maker extraordinaire lives on Sylvan Road in Sunset Hills, just off Elam. Let's hope she receives enough donations to continue offering masks to the community and help get us through the COVID times. Also, as businesses start reopening, let's hope someone needs a very generous, community-oriented early childhood educator or paralegal! 

Tree Hole Art

Today's photo was taken on Highway 150, just east of Highway 220, right across the street from The Vineyards neighborhood. We first saw this tree art when friend and GDP reader Katja Brown shared it with us. Greensboro and the communities around us are known for their mature trees. Some neighborhoods, like Sunset Hills, incorporate their huge trees into their Christmas light displays. 

The above tree is one that must have split, leaving a hole in the tree. The owner has taken wooden discs and attached them in an artistic fashion. A squirrel, bees, and ladybugs also help fill the space. If you notice, the edge has been framed out, too. There are examples of this kind of art on Pinterest; however, this is the first one we've seen in Greensboro- Summerfield, actually. As you can see from its leaves, the tree continues to live.

Here's to closing out this last day of August with a little art and creativity by a local resident. If you find out more about the person who created this work of art, or if you see another one, please let us know. Happy Monday and have a great week!

Sad Girl by Gina Franco

Gina Franco painted "Sad Girl" in 2019 in downtown Greensboro. It is located off Davie Street not too far from the News & Record building. Gina is a North Carolina-based muralist. Gina's piece sure catches your eye if you are out waking the less-beaten path downtown. The dark tree contrasts with the brightness of the mural and the sky that is, on some days, exactly the color of sad girl's hair. The tree reminds us of Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree." Being just down from the Central Library, perhaps a reading of Silverstein's poem under the tree, in front of the "Sad Girl" mural would be in order.

Gina's art is sometimes referred to as "cartoon realism" and "sad girl" has to do with the many difficult things Gina has had to endure in her less than four decades of life; including losing her mother to lung cancer last year. Gina is starting to get recognition for her art and, while from Greensboro, has also been able to paint murals beyond our great city. Let's hope that 2020 is the best year ever for her, and that by the end of the year she will feel up for painting a "happy girl" mural. She certainly deserves it. Have a great rest of your week, dear readers!

*reference & read more about Gina, here.

The Greensboro Rotary Carousel Is Almost Ready!

Yesterday, Fox News  shared some fabulous  photos  of  the Rotary Carousel at the Greensboro Science  Center  (see,  here). Their  segment  prompted us to run out and check  on  the progress.  The venue is  stunning with so much thought behind  it. The 56  wooden  and handmade  animals evoke a mash-up  of  Doctor Dolittle, Greensboro's Universities, the endangered species list, the Greensboro Science Center,  and  a whole lot of vision  and generosity on the part of the Greensboro  Rotary Organization. It is so beautiful;  one photo cannot begin to  do  it justice.

The  carousel  is expected to  open  in a few  weeks. It is reported to  have  cost $3  million  dollars, part of the  cost is  attributed to the fact that it is encased  in  a  climate-controlled  glass  structure  that can be  opened when weather permits.  It is the kind of place  where you will probably notice more details every time you visit. Wouldn't is be fun if they had a punch card  and you could keep track  of every animal you had ridden. Are you the kind of person  who would want to ride all 56? 

Adam Wiley, Potter and Woodworker Extraordinaire

Yesterday, a very nice arts and craft show was held at Double Oaks Bed and Breakfast on North Mendenhall Street. The above photo features Adam Wiley, one of the featured artists. Adam, originally from Ohio, moved to Greensboro a few years ago to be part of the community of potters in the area. Adam, who attended Kent State University, is both a potter and a woodworker. Lately he has been combining these two talents by making pottery vessels and turning wooden lids to fit them perfectly. A few examples of this combined talent can be seen above.

We were lucky to meet Adam yesterday as he doesn't get to show his work in Greensboro very often. Adam is busy in his position as customer service representative at the STARworks Cermmics Supply Shop, about an hour south of Greensboro in Star, North Carolina. If you have never been to STARworks, please treat yourself to a visit. You can take classes, enjoy a cup of coffee or a beer in the coffee shop, listen to great live music, and maybe even stop by and say hi to Adam. Fortunately, Adam's wood and pottery vessels are available for purchase at STARworks. Adam calls these vessels KEEPS because you can keep special things in them. Contact Adam and see more of his great KEEPS on his website, www.craftedtokeep.com . Buy one of Adam's pieces for a gift and you can be sure the recipient will keep it for a very long time.

Peggy Wynn, Crafter Extraordinaire

Local crafter Peggy Wynn does it all! Her first profession was in healthcare and her second was as a librarian. Now, Peggy is retired and makes craft items. We caught up with her yesterday where she had a booth at Temple Emanuel, selling her tote bags made from feed sacks. They are so colorful, durable, and reasonably priced. Peggy likes the idea of up cycling and keeping plastic bags out of landfills. She loves the fact that most of her friends with animals send the empty feed sacks her way. Peggy also makes soaps from essential oils. She is a great seamstress, but primarily makes pie and casserole carriers to sell. Peggy recalls fondly learning to sew in home-economics class in junior high, back in the day when girls took home-ec and guys took woodworking. The multi-talented Peggy also sings with several local choirs, including Triad Pride. 

Peggy will host a fabulous art and craft show with several other artists on Saturday, December 7th at 2103 Mimosa Drive from 10 am to 4pm. If you want one of these feed bags, some great soap, or other unique holiday gifts, mark your calendar to attend her December event.

First Friday Sept 2019

 

First Friday is always a special time in downtown Greensboro, when you can stroll, shop, and visit art galleries. This past Friday was extra special in that the North Carolina Folk Festival was in town. People from all walks of life were out enjoying the evening. The above photo features the scene from the front door of Meraki Handmade in the 200 block of South Elm Street. The green and orange of the Meraki facade and the pedestrians in orange really stand out against the backdrop of purple flowers and the purple light at Schiffman's Jewelers across the street. 

Once, a reader implied we make Greensboro look even prettier and more colorful than it is. We beg to differ. Sometimes color and the energy collide and the camera pops to the eye with the picture practically taking itself. In the above photo, we only had an old cell phone in hand. But the beauty of secondary colors on Elm Street was nothing short of magical. Have a great Tuesday!

Paper Furniture

Can you guess what this is? It is a to-scale sculptural installation of a room full of furniture made out of heavyweight drawing paper. North Carolina artist, Sara Farrington, who lives in Creedmoor, made it in 2018. Called "Model Home, " it is part of a the 45th annual Art-on-Paper exhibit at the Weatherspoon Art Museum.

The Weatherspoon, located at the corner of Tate and Spring Garden streets on UNCGs campus, brings so much thought-provoking art to Greensboro. Sara's furniture is tied in to the notion of domestic perfection and what society expects of adults, goals Sara sees as unattainable. If you want to see this piece and more fantastic artwork, head to the Weatherspoon. Since the entrance is free, as is parking if you get a hang-tag from the museum entrance, there is every reason to give the museum a try. Please note that they are currently redesigning the lighting in the first-floor galleries and so only the upstairs galleries are open. As comfortable as it looks, just don't try to sit out the furniture.

Tiny Gallery on Bruce Street

Tiny is the new BIG, and today from 11:00 am- 4:00 pm, six very talented Greensboro artists will feature their artwork for sale at the Tiny Gallery at 125 Bruce Street. The above photo features two of the artists, Vicky Johnson and Perry Boswell. Perry is selling his paintings and some of his naughty and nice Christmas cards. Vicki also has cards and jewelry. (You still have another week or so to mail cards and have them arrive on time).

Bruce Street is a tiny street between Spring Garden Street and Oakland Avenue. If you are heading east on Spring Garden, it is the first right, just after Elam. Regardless of whether you visit Bruce Street, or one of the many other artists' events in Greensboro today, there is no reason to buy something mass produced, when there is so much local talent. Please support local artists. As you plan your day, with the looming threat of a giant snowstorm, make your list and check it twice: Bread, milk, candles, batteries, and LOCAL ART!

Nemesis Jewelry

Local jeweler, Ruby Nachom, was selling her lovely jewelry and lampwork beads at Art in the Arboretum on Sunday. Ruby was trained in Arizona and, locally at Sawtooth. Her jewelry is so unique. Above, she is holding some of her lampwork beads that sparkle with the ashes of her cremated cat. Ruby has recently learned this technique and is willing to make beads with the ashes of clients pets or loved one. See the photo below for a close-up. While Ruby doesn't sell in a store, she sets up at many local shows, including small, in-home shows.

Greensboro is so lucky to have talented and personable artists like Ruby. If you enlarge the photo, you can see the sparkly ashes of her cat.

Piñatas & More Leslie

At Greensboro's December 2017 Festival of Lights, Leslie had a booth at LeBauer Park. Originally from Mexico, Leslie was inspired to make piñatas so that adults and children alike can use them for special occasions. Leslie is so talented that she can make piñatas in any shape from traditional stars to action figures to jalapeño peppers. At the moment, she is busy making piñatas for Valentine's Day. Leslie is a creative artist with an entrepreneurial spirit. If you want a piñata, why settle for a generic one from a big box store when you can have one that is customized- just for you? Leslie is on Facebook (Pinatas Leslie) and Instagram pinatas_leslie.

Well, the weekend is here and, if you are looking for something to do, there will be plenty of events for Martin Luther King Day.  You can start the weekend at 7:30 attending the Shabbat service at the Jefferson Road Campus of Temple Emanuel. UNCG's Chancellor, Dr. Franklin D. Gilliam will be the guest speaker.  Here is a list of other activities around Greensboro. While Leslie's Piñatas might seem like something unrelated to the Shabbat Service and MLK Day, Dr. Gilliam will remind us that, as a community, coming together in dialog and celebrating our diversity, can only make us stronger. 

1007 North Elm Street

1007 North Elm Street is a 9 bedroom, nearly 7,000 square foot house built in 1919.  This is the John Marion Galloway House. Galloway played a leadership role in the tobacco industry in North Carolina. The house, in the English Tudor Period Revival style, was designed by local architect Harry Barton. The rock building material is Mt. Airy Granite. The house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1983. *

According to online real estate records, the house was last sold in 1988. The person who lives there keeps the curb appeal interesting as there is always an original work of art on the front lawn. The current installation is a one-story-tall Christmas tree that it is built out of blue plastic strips- perhaps dry cleaning bags. The artificial tree changes character depending on whether the day is sunny or gray. Greensboro has a lot of original holiday decorations, including the tree featured above.

 

* reference and more information, here.

MyStorylog

Austin Goldman was looking for a meaningful hobby after retiring. He decided to start a business making walking sticks. His inspiration to make story logs and inspirational walking sticks came from noticing interesting sticks on his family's tree farm. Mr. Goldman uses a wood-burning tool to write Biblical scripture on many of the sticks. He also creates custom sticks where he writes information about a person's life on the stick. Some customers take their story logs everywhere and others hang them in their house as conversation pieces. Regardless, it is a very novel idea, if you are looking for a gift for the person who has everything. 

Mr. Goldman was selling at the Yanceyville Curb Market's December craft fair this past weekend. He can also be reached at [email protected] . He and his story logs were featured on Fox 8 news. See www.myfox8.com/tag/personal-story-log/ for more information.

If you were to fit details of your life on a walking stick, what would you say? Even if you don't commission a stick, it is a fun exercise. Mr. Goldman is such a nice person who is originally from Virginia, has traveled extensively, had a long career at Syngenta, and is a Christian man of great faith. We know this because we read his walking stick!

Moonbird Pottery

Greensboro has many great potters, several of whom hold semiannual shows on their property. Moonbird Pottery's owner opens up her Lindley Park back yard to a few other vendors twice a year. The above photo features people delighting in Christina Brown's latest pottery on the porch of her studio. If you missed this house sale, you will also have an opportunity to shop this Friday evening at Moonbird Pottery on Spring Garden Street, beside Spring Garden Bakery.

Even if you don't need any pottery (who doesn't need original, local pottery?), you owe it to yourself to attend this event. Christina just returned from Morocco and the theme of the store's event is Marrakesh. With all of the Moroccan items and inspiration, it will feel like an authentic "souk."  If you are really inspired, before Moonbird's event, you could go out to one of Greensboro many Middle Eastern restaurants and feel like you have left the country without leaving town. We hope you love Greensboro's great diversity and talented artists as much as we do.

Daas Mural

The public art scene has blossomed in Greensboro over the last two years, especially the addition of murals. The above mural was painted on the Bellemeade Street Parking Deck on North Elm Street on August 17, 2017. The 80-foot mural is one of two on the parking deck. The mural and the block party held to watch Daas paint this past summer is brought to us courtesy of City Arts and the Greensboro Participatory Budgeting Program.*

The bright strip of color with part of a face looking at northbound drivers reminds us to drive carefully. When the photo is compressed with a zoom lens and the foliage of trees is cut out, the resulting geometric shapes give Greensboro a big-city, urban feel. Do you like the look of all the murals? Do you have a favorite?

* reference and more information, here.

Meet Polly Compos Anton

Polly Compos Anton, dressed as the Queen of Hearts, had a make-and-take bracelet table at her "Polly Originals" booth at Saturday's Keep It Local event. Usually, Polly is busy selling her own one-of-a-kind necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. This year, she brought her vast collection of beads, memory wire, and tools, and helped people design their own bracelets. Polly has been making jewelry since the early 1990's, when she was a graduate student at UNC Chapel Hill. Serendipity brought her to bead making when she visited a friend working at a Chapel Hill bead store and fell instantly in love with making jewelry. Polly has always been creative and even studied painting; however, the immediacy of assembling jewelry and seeing clients wearing her pieces fueled her love of designing jewelry.

Polly recalls fondly the years she held jewelry parties in the basement of Anton's restaurant. Now, she mostly sells at local arts and crafts fairs, like the Yanceyville Curb Market and Leanne Pizio's Keep it Local Show. Polly will be showing at the 21st annual  Whimsical Women Art Festival in Winston Salem in two weeks.* Last time we were at the Irving Park Frame Shop, her jewelry was available there. Polly specializes in crystal and metal pieces with an antique flair. She also has a line with calm beach colors. The colorful bracelet and earrings below were created specially for celebrating Halloween. We hope you have a chance to meet this fun, kind, talented local artist. 

*see flyer for Whimsical Women, here.

Weekend of Visual and Performing Art

This weekend is a big weekend for art in Greensboro. One event is the Fall 2017 Keep it Local Art and Pottery Show at 2409 Oak Ridge Road, just off of Highway 150 and just east of Oak Ridge Military Academy. It will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There will be over twenty vendors, all work is original. At 11:00 and 2:00, where will be an Art Hunt. With six cans of food or $5.00, you can participate in this fundraiser for the One Step Further Food Bank. Many animals are usually on hand to entertain the young and young-at-art art enthusiasts. There should be a llama, donkeys, chickens, and dogs to liven the event. The above photo features three animals made by the very talented Leanne Pizio. Her most creative pieces usually sell very early in the day, but she will have great pottery available in her on-site studio all day. Finally, Keep it Local will feature live music.

Another event is at Steinberger Artist Center at 712 Summit Avenue from 2-5pm on Saturday. The event, called 17 senses is hosted by the art event known as 17 Days Greensboro. Denise Landi, Sally White, Lee Zacharias, Krystal Hart, and Gina Franco will be sharing their great art with visitors. As for as performing arts, there will be a blues music concert on Saturday night at the Van Dyke Performance Space in Greensboro at 8:00 p.m. Tickets for the concert are $15 and the visual art events are free.

Sunday is a big, day, too as the Biennial Jewish Festival will be held at Temple Emanuel at 1129 Jefferson Road from 11:00am - 5:00 pm. Music, artisans, sanctuary tours, food, and many other activities will be in full swing at the festival. You will even see Biblical figures will be on hand for photo opportunities, too. 

We hope you have an opportunity to get out and enjoy some or all of these great events.

 

Liberty Antique Festival

The Fall 2017 Liberty Antique Festival was held this past weekend. The above photo shows the tents at one end of the field. The weather was lovely. The morning started out with crisp fall air. By mid-day, the sun was shining brightly and temperatures were in the 70's. Some years, there are strong rains during the show, and even though the event is held rain or shine, customers and vendors were mighty happy to see the sun. 

By 8am, when the gate opened on Saturday, the entrance line was quite long. Just before the gate opened, someone sang "God Bless America", what sounded like a train whistle blew, one of the parking attendants shouted "Get 'er done!" and the crowd started filing on in. By 8:10, one woman ran up to her friend, held up a bag and beamed, "we can go now." She must have found exactly what she was looking for. One man approached a vendor and said, "You told me to come back today." and the discounted transaction was made. Another woman, looking for someone yelled, "Marco" and an anonymous person from the crowd replied, "Polo" and everyone within earshot chuckled. Even if you are not in the market to purchase anything, it is always fun to get out and walk the field in Liberty, talk to people, and peruse the booths. There are food trucks,  good BBQ and deserts made by a local church. This year, a man was selling apple fritters. The fritters really made it seem like fall. The man with the fritters invited all for samples, promising they were delicious. 

As people become more and more connected to their electronic devices and making their purchases through Amazon Prime, opportunities to experience little slices of Americana, face-to-face,  become priceless. Mark your calendar for the last weekend in April for their spring show.

Raven's Roost

The Raven's Roost is a pop up market at the Yanceyville Curb Market. It is held once a month from 12:00 noon- 5:00 p.m. Part arts and crafts/DIY market and part antique/flea market, there is something for everybody. From hand crafted soaps to jewelry to up-cycled art to tie-dye and more, the market is a fun place to visit on a Sunday afternoon. The downtown location is very convenient. The live music and food are conducive to lingering. This week's musician was Eugene Chadbourne and friends. 

It would be nice to combine Raven's Roost with food trucks and to have it held every week. As the market grows, hopefully, it will expand to the other side of the farmer's market building. It would also be nice to have a pop-up dressing room. We're even wondering if it would be possible to use the inside, covered area. Regardless of how Raven's Roost evolves, people love an excuse to get out and interact in public spaces; especially when there is the chance of a great find. 

The next Raven's Roost will be held on June 18th. Mark your calendar and give it a visit.

 

Susan Ridenour, Potter

This past weekend, we ran in to Susan Ridenour at the 205 Gallery on Lyndon Street. It was the gallery's Second Saturday Open House and many artists were on hand to show visitors around and to offer their artwork for sale. Susan spent a lot of time explaining to us the details of her work; for example, how she molds the bowls,  in the foreground, to the shape of her hand; how strips that melt to reveal the specific temperatures at different parts of her kiln. (Pyro-metric pieces are in the back left corner of the table. They look like teeth of a tiger).

Professionally, Susan trained as a social worker. Raised in Raleigh, she came to Greensboro to attend Greensboro College. She received her degree, fell in love with the city, married, and has lived and worked here since. Knowing after her social work career that she wanted to nurture her artistic and creative side, Susan took pottery lessons. Her first lesson was memorable on so many levels, given the fact that it was on September 11, 2001.

Susan's pottery is lovely and her color scheme is very warm and neutral. If you are interested in purchasing a piece (or even renting space in her kiln if you are a potter), she can be reached at [email protected] or through the 205 Gallery.  Below, Susan's pottery is paired with Karen Bjork Dischell's painting and Sandy Dunaway's Pantone-color-of-the-year table. We want the whole display.  North Carolina has great veins of clay and Greensboro has great potters like Susan. 205 has great artists! What a wonderful combination.  Happy Monday!

Meet Mr. Scott

Meet Zach Scott. He was a vendor at the Hand to Hand Market held at Gibbs Hundred this past Sunday. He is a senior at Appalachian State University, pursuing K-12 Arts Education Licensure. He is originally from Winston Salem and is student teaching locally this semester. About a year ago, Mr. Scott learned to crochet and, at the market, was selling his crocheted animals at very reasonable prices. In his hand, he is holding a snail that was just precious. It is encouraging to meet young adults in Greensboro who are pursuing their dreams and have an entrepreneurial mindset.

We predict that Visual Arts will flourish as people realize art is so much more than pretty decorations. Art can be useful like the design of tableware and home furnishings that takes into consideration space, comfort, and function.  Art is problem solving, thinking things through using the engineering design process. Art is anything original that communicates emotion. We know we loved that little snail. Even more, we loved knowing that a skilled, well-educated artist with a great disposition, specifically Zach Scott, has made a commitment to teaching art in the public schools.

The Black Belt Soap Company

The Black Belt Soap Company is a wonderful business started by the very talented Dr. Temeka L. Carter. She is featured in the above photo with her associate, Jeff Petrishen. Dr. Carter uses all natural ingredients including plant-based essential oils and fragrance oils . The small-batch, hand-blended products are fresh and vegan-  with the exception of locally-sourced goat milk. With over 50 items on their website, there is something for everyone: banana chai smoothie soap, cedar wood and orange IPA beer soap, room sprays, coffee whipped shea body butter, lip balms, monthly subscription boxes, and more. We were on location at the Hand to Hand Market at Gibbs Hundred yesterday and were quite taken with their products. Indeed, we fell in love with all of their products.

The Black Belt Soap Company is not named after martial arts; it is named for Dr. Carter's home region in Alabama. Alabama's Black Belt Region is known for its black soil, perfect for growing cotton. On her website, Dr. Carter explains that the region "continue(s) to be defined by the legacy of slavery and the plantation agriculture system." It is high-poverty, has low-achieving schools, and has experienced considerable out-migration. Dr. Carter is committed to giving back to community, and a portion of her proceeds go to scholarships to help children in the area. As taken as we were with the Black Belt products, we were equally smitten with Dr. Carter's warm, friendly demeanor. 

Greensboro is so lucky to have community members like Dr. Carter, committed to helping others and giving back. Visit the website for the Black Belt Soap Company, here. See some beautiful merchandise here:

 

Recycling

On April 1st, 2017, in honor of Earth Day, all Guilford County high school students are invited to participate in a "Trash to Treasure" competition.The recycled and up cycled items will be judged at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Library. The competition is sponsored by the City of Greensboro. The above photo is an example of the kind of art they are looking for.

The above rhinoceros is just one side of a painted trash can outside of Reconsidered Goods. The whole can, and nearby seating area, look so inviting after a busy day of making art. We hope you get by to see the store, and this garbage can, soon. In the meantime, honk if you love rhinos!

Scarves 4 Warmth Project

Bobby Craddock has been an artist in Greensboro for more than two decades. We caught up with Bobby at Leanne Pizio's "Keep It Local" art event last week. From wood scraps to plastic bags, Bobby has a special talent for turning just about everything into artwork. One of Bobby's recent projects is Scarves 4 Warmth. He gets scraps of wool (mostly from old sweaters) and stitches them together to make scarves to give to homeless people who are cold. He also sets up maker spaces for community members, including homeless community members, to make scarves. His vision is to find a permanent maker space for the homeless and to pay them a living wage for making scarves and other art. In the above photo, Bobby only has a couple of scarves, rolled up in the lower left hand corner. 

We hope Bobby establishes a "Go Fund Me" or "Kickstarter" or some other type of funding source. He has identified some very real needs, specifically helping people who aren't always in the position to help themselves, especially with respect to employment. His talent is superb, he has lots of experience and great contacts, and his heart is in the right place. That sounds like a great recipe for a successful initiative. Bobby will be in "Art in the Yard" in Lindley Park tomorrow if you want to see more of his brilliant art or learn more about his ideas. We wish him a lot of luck. It is nice to watch him refine and advance his ideas and to see good things starting to happen for his project. We hope you bring some big, wild, fancy scarves to the yard, Bobby! We could use one... or two...

Follow Bobby on Scarves4WarmthProject on Instagram and Facebook.

Ann Lynch, Local Potter

Last Saturday, we were lucky enough to meet up with Ann Lynch at the Westerwood Art and Sole Show. Ann, an accomplished potter in Greensboro, has been studying and practicing art in North Carolina for the last two decades. Most recently, she has focused on making functional pottery similar to the bowl she is holding in the above photo. Her hallmark is to incorporate hand painted inserts that look like Chinese pottery chards. In her artist's statement, she mentions that she has always been attracted to pattern and geometric design and attributes it to the fact that early in her career, she was a high school math teacher. 

Not only is Ann a great potter, she is an interesting person to talk to. She was raised on a farm in South Dakota, studied in England, worked in Switzerland, and finally, has settled in Greensboro. We hope she stays with us for a very long time. Ann shows regularly at the pottery events in Greensboro. She will be at the Potters of the Piedmont Festival, Saturday, November 12th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Leonard Recreation Center on Ballinger Road. Be sure to get there early for the best selection.

Don't forget, tonight is First Friday and downtown should be hopping. To our knowledge, Ann isn't currently showing in a gallery downtown; however, there will be other great pottery, visual, and performing arts to enjoy this evening. October weekends are pretty special in Greensboro. Enjoy!

Chihuly Glass Exhibit

If you are local and looking for something to do this summer, consider heading to Graham to see the exhibit of Chihuly glass. Dale Chihuly is an American sculptor of hand blown glass. This west coast artist takes a lot of his inspiration from the Italian glass blowing tradition. In the above photo, you see one of several pieces that originally formed a giant chandelier. It takes two rooms and an entrance hallway to display the entire piece. The exhibit, on display at Alamance Arts (213 South Main Street) in Graham, is free and open to the public. 

In the Graham exhibit, the Chihuly glass is arranged by size. The giant pieces with the curling, glass tentacles- that seem to stretch out to greet you- are located in the front room. The medium sized pieces are grouped together in another space. In the back room, all of the smaller, vase-size pieces can be seen. We've featured a few of the smaller pieces, below. If you go, be sure to be on the lookout for putti (cherubs) throughout the pieces. Some are hanging out in the mouths of dragons. One visitor interpreted the scene as the small, winged children being eaten; another saw them as playfully holding open the dragon's mouth. Take a ride over and let us know what you think. The exhibit is a very manageable size and the price is unbeatable (free)! Usually there is more distance between Chihuly's pieces and the viewing public; so, be careful.