The Charlotte Observer
South Charlotte News North
Saturday, November 01, 2014

The Charlotte Art Collective will hold its annual holiday art show and sale at Avondale Presbyterian Church’s Fellowship Building from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Nov. 8.

The 22-booth show will display a variety of art: pottery, painting, mixed media, photography, jewelry, locally-sourced handmade soap and cream, wood turning, fiber art, handmade purses, glass mosaics, fabrics and sculptures.

Courtesy of CAC
Artist Rosemary Peduzzi, former CAC President’s booth at last year’s show.

Some well-known Charlotte artists will be part of the show, a list that includes:

•  Potter Celena Burnett, who owns The Whirling Wheel pottery studio on Park Road and is known for her self-designed, hand-carved stamps that create textures and designs on her pottery. When she’s not at the wheel, she teaches pottery and participates in the Carolina Claymatters Pottery Guild.

•  Mixed-media artist Celia Flock, who received a public art commission for Charlotte’s Hal Marshall Center and a Gallery Without Walls commission for Spirit Square. She likes to use a combination of paint and colored pencils to create colorful schemes in her paintings.

•  Jewelry designer Linda Minor is the owner of Bead Me by Linda Minor on South Boulevard. She creates handcrafted copper and gemstone jewelry. One of her pieces was given to first lady Michelle Obama by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx as a gift from the city of Charlotte.

Minor, publicity chairwoman of the Charlotte Art Collective, said, “It’s a close, professional group, yet it’s a good team effort. They love art and take pride in their crafts. … It’s also a local group connected to a local fundraiser, which adds to the significance of their community pride and involvement.”

For the last five years, Charlotte Art Collective has partnered with Dilworth Cares, a nonprofit arm of the Dilworth Community Association. During their spring and fall shows, Charlotte Art Collective sells raffle tickets for participants to win a basket filled with art donated by the collectives’ group members, worth well more than $500.

Last year’s fall show brought in $561 for Dilworth Cares.

Dilworth Cares Steering Committee Chairwoman Arlene Fenlon said the organization raises money and awareness for local nonprofits by focusing its efforts on a different organization every couple of years. The Dilworth Cares 2014-2016 partnership is with Freedom School, an educational enrichment program for Charlotte students.

Courtesy of CAC
A 2012 Dilworth Cares gift basket. This year’s annual Holiday Art Show and Sale is at Avondale Presbyterian Church’s Fellowship Building, 2821 Park Road, Charlotte, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. on Nov. 8.

Members of Dilworth Cares will be at the show selling tickets for their basket. “We are grateful to have the Charlotte Art Collective partner with us to help local nonprofits,” Fenlon said.

The Charlotte Art Collective is a local artist community group started 13 years ago by members Celia Flock and her friend Jill Shuford as a way for artists to gather, socialize and present their work.

CAC President Nancy Williams said the group now consists of 25 artists.

“Some of us are professionally trained artists, past art agency directors and art teachers, and others are people following their post-career passions,” Williams said.

Williams, who lives on Charlotte Drive in Dilworth, said she found her passion for photography in 1996. She takes photographs of iconic structures and scenery in Charlotte and worldwide.

She started selling photographic notecards of her work at various shows and local boutiques, after retiring from Duke Energy. She’s been in the group for five years and is serving her second year as CAC president.

“It is an honor to be a part of a group that collectively supports each artists’ individual endeavors, as well as supporting the local community,” Williams said.