A Great Lineup of Events for the Year

January is a time for me to reflect on where we've been and where we're going with Carolina Creations. Every year we try to shake it up a little add new artists, add new art.

This year we're going to add more personal items like scarves and purses. We've already added new pieces by Martin Venzal (pictured). Martin creates hand woven, dyed and fringed scarves from 100% silk with natural dyes. They're beautiful!

We also got some hand painted scarves by Dee Boswell, these wearable works of art are each one of a kind. They have a luxurious feel yet are easy to care for.

I've been working on a years worth of special events for our 20th year! So far this is what we have coming up.

We started our new Rewards program, where you sign up for our newsletter and receive a point for every dollar spent. Reach 500 points and get $25 off your next purchase. Also through the year we'll have special giftfs for our rewards members. All you have to do is read the newsletter!

Art From Our Hearts - Friday, January 29, 2010
Of course this Friday, January 29, we have an opening for our Valentine Card Show. We'll have some of the student artists as well as the teachers. All cards sell for $3 and all the money collected goes back to the school art program. The show and sale runs through February 14.

The Glorious Garden - March 1 - April 29, 2010
A show of garden art. Art of gardens and art FOR the garden. We'll have our opening reception during the first ArtWalk Downtown New Bern, on Friday March 12 from 5-8:30 pm.

For this show we'll have new painting of gardens by our gallery artists, we've found some great birdhouses, hummingbird feeders, steel and rock bird garden sculptures, and more!

ArtWalk Dowtown New Bern - Friday, March 12, 2010
Lots of shops open, stop in and see our great show, The Glorious Garden, meet your friends and have some refreshments! 5-8:30 pm.

Spring Home and Garden Tour Reception - April 9, 2010 5-7 pm
Everyone is invited to a reception we hosting the Friday evening of the Spring Home Tour. My artwork is being used on the poster and brochure for the home tour. I'll have prints available of the original artwork for purchase. I also do tiles of the homes on the tour each year. We'll have refreshments too. To purchase a "Gull Harbor" and for more information click here.

Music Box Clay Workshop with Justine! - May 8th & 15th, 2010. A two day workshop. One of our favorite artists is doing a workshop at my studio. You'll make a music box, build it, we'll fire it and you'll glaze it. Sign up by May 1, space is limited. $130. Click here for more information or to sign up.

The Viennese Waltz - May 14-June 25, 2010 Opens during ArtWalk - Friday May 14 5-8:30 pm.
A show of large, hand built sculptures by Justine Ferreri. Using earthenware clay and stoneware, Justine works her magic designing characters that are colorful, fun, emotional, spiritual and sometimes just plain bizarre.

Putting her heart into every piece she sculpts, she creates art that uplifts the soul, provokes thought and brings joy to the beholder.

Justine talks abou the inspiration for her work for this show - In the beginning of the last Century, the art world went though it's greatest metamorphose. In Paris it was Cezenne, Monet, Degas, Manet, Pissaro and many others. They did not want to be told how and what to paint. They wanted to express light and feelings though their art. They started their own movement. They rented there own space and started impressionism.

The movement slowly moved over all of Europe and reached Vienna. Vienna was slowly emerging from a depression and the government started a great building boom. They started workshops and employed artist, sculptors, woodworkers and craftsmen to made the city the grand model of Viennas culture. Gustav Klimt was among these designers and artists. He embraced impressionism, symbolism and Art nouveau. His paintings were full of erotica, decorative patterns and human forms. He loved to decorate his models in costume and paint from life. Many of his paintings of the elite women of Vienna were costumes made by his friend Leon Bakst.

The patterns in Klimt's paintings can be scene over again in the fabrics of Leon Bakst costumes. In fact when I first saw the costumes of Bakst I kept thinking of Klimt. Klimt has always been my favorite artist. His use of color, pattern, abstract forms and the surprise of gold detail can be
seen in both artists. Bakst was designing for stage and theater while Klimt was painting murals and canvases.

So I decided it would be great to create a body of work to celebrate the two of them. The Show is called "The Vienna Waltz". The waltz of two artist in three quarter time. A movement they started, The Secession , I hope to embrace the feeling of being in Vienna in the theater and at the salon. To bring you back in time and into my own world of recreation and inspiration.

Joining Justine in this show are Denise Bramley, clay sculptor and Cindy Miles fabric artist.

Plein Air Painting Workshop with Mike Rooney - May 17-19, 2010
This workshop is guaranteed to loosen up your style and transform your art. Learn to paint with a loose, quick and impressionistic style by learning how to capture light effects, simplify objects, working quickly, color and composition theory, and color palate choices. Sign up by May 7, space is limited. Email for more information. info@carolinacreations.com.

ArtWalk Downtown New Bern - July 9, 2010 5-8:30 pm
Out in the County is the theme for our show. We'll have landscape paintings, a few chickens, birds and other themes that reflect our area.

ArtWalk An Artist Paints New Bern for 20 years. Opening September 10 5-8:30 pm. Janet Francoeur, resident artist and owner of Carolina Creations arrived with her husband Michael in New Bern in 1989. Just a few months later she was displaying her work in Downtown New Bern. Now 20 years later Janet is still celebrating our beautiful town in her paintings and clay creations.

American Craft Week - October 1-10, 2010
We'll have a lineup of special events.

What is American Craft Week?

It's an opportunity to celebrate the wonders of American craft. Every day thousands of American artists share their vision and talent by producing amazing hand-made decorative and functional objects. And every day thousands of craft retailers share their love of these items by displaying, promoting and selling them. As one craft artist put it, "this is the creative economy!"

American Craft enriches our homes, wardrobes, offices and public spaces. It contributes to our nation's economy, our balance of trade, and the fabric of our national history. It is original, beautiful and enduring, so let's tell the world! Who is spearheading American Craft Week?

American Craft Week is a project of Craft Retailers and Artists for Tomorrow (CRAFT), (an organization which Janet Francoeur sits on the board of) in partnership with Craft in America.

ArtWalk - November 12, 2010
Christmas Show.

A Dickens of a Christmas Thanksgiving through December 24, 2010