Holiday Celebration at Catawba County Humane Society

One of our charities for Aroma of Art, the Catawba County Humane Society, is having an open house for the holidays this Saturday and Sunday, December 12th and 13th, 12-6 and 1-6.  

Bring the kids,  friends,  your neighbors,  your dog, and the whole family to see the wonderful work the HSCC is doing for pets, not only in Catawba County but for surrounding counties as well.

I had the unique experience to tour the facility today and it was really impressive.  I am looking forward to the coming years as they show that a state of the art facility and a comprehensive spay and neuter program can really improve the health of the animals in our county, reduce the number of homeless pets and slow down the euthanasia rate - that's what it's all about!

I suspect that many in the county do not know the history and evolution of this organization over the last 5-6 years and this weekend is a great opportunity to find out what these community heroes have been doing to improve the quality of life for so many in the county.

Directions are on the site and it's very easy to find.  Stop by and say hello to the staff and volunteers - you'll be glad you did!

Tastefull Beans Art Reception December 10

This Thursday, December 10, from 6:00 to 8:30 PM, Tastefull Beans Coffee House in downtown Hickory will join the Hickory Holiday festivities with an art reception for the new art being displayed over the holidays.  The painting to the right is by Alex Reeves of Reevo Studio.

Come out and see the wonderful new paintings by JW and Sandi Baker of Wolf Song Studio, silver woven and beaded jewelry by WovenStones, original oils by Alex Reeves of Reevo Studio and the other fine artists exhibiting this December.  Wine and heavy hors d'oeuvres will be served along with wonderful conversations with the artists.  

Many of the artists on display this holiday season will be donating pieces for Aroma of Art 2010 so come and get a preview of what will be up for auction this February.

Hope we see you all there!

Call for Art for Aroma of Art 2010

We want to thank all of you for your past support of Aroma of Art silent auction. Now in its 8th year, this annual event brings awareness and funds for ALFA and the Humane Society of Catawba county.

It's that time of year to request donations of art from all of our wonderful artists for February 2010's  auction.

The Kick off will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2010 from 5:30 pm-7:30 pm, and the Finale will be held on Thursday, March 4, 2010 from 5:30 p.m.-7:30p.m. Bidding will end at 6:30pm that evening. The art will be on display at Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse throughout the month of February. 

Donations of art can include: oil paintings, photography, pottery, sculpture or jewelry from local and national artists.

Art may be dropped off January 13, 14 & 15 at Taste Full Beans from 5:00p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Or shipped to Taste Full Beans 29 2nd Street SW, Hickory, NC 28601 (please arrive on or before January 15, 2010)

For more information about the event or to confirm you will donate, please contact Edgar or DW Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse at 828/325-0108 or email at tfbcoffeehouse@hotmail.com.

Aroma of Art is Heating Up!

Yes, its that time of year when we begin planning the annual fundraiser called Aroma of Art, bringing together artists and local non-profits in a celebration of great artistic talent and community service.

This event takes place at Taste Full Beans Coffee House in downtown Hickory, NC.  The event features art from local Hickory artists and surrounding counties, with some art coming from Asheville, Charlotte and eastern NC.

The opening ceremony starting the bidding will be Thursday, January 28, 2010, from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.  The closing finale when final bids on the donated art will be taken, will be Thursday, March 4, 2010 form 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM.

We are looking forward to a wonderful event, to gathering together the many talented artists that will donate and display their work, and to reaching a goal of raising $10,000 for our most worthy non-profits!

Our call to artists will go out early November.  If you have any questions or want to help, please call the coffee house.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone again in January!

Aroma of Art Finale Photos

WRC Director Lisa Miller, ALFA Director Jenn Hart, and HSCC Director Jane Earnest thank TFB, sponsors, artists, and the community for suppporting the month long event.

Aroma of Art Devotees! The pictures of the finale are here. It was a wonderful evening and here are some pictures to view for those of you who were not able to attend. It was a very busy and enjoyable evening as you can see.

Many of the donating artists came to enjoy the evening. Bidders had a chance to meet with the artists to learn more about their coveted items. As it came down to the wire, bidders staked out their claims as they waited for the end of the bidding.

AOA is an event that fosters community. The event brings together artists and all those interested in supporting the efforts of hard working local agencies for and evening of fun, great conversation, art and great food!

We hope to make next year's event and even greater success than this year's, and we hope all of you will come and join us throughout the event next year to support our local agencies that do so much to make Hickory a great place for everyone and our local artists that so generously give to make the AOA auction a success.

The Finale was a Great Success!

I think it is safe to say that a good time was had by all! Although it was a rainy evening, we had a good turnout. Many came anticipating winning their favorite items, and it was with much enjoyment that I helped people find their winnings to take home.

I am enjoying getting to know more people involved in the Aroma of Art auction and met several of the artists that donated their work this year. It was wonderful seeing faces from last year's event, new faces of artists donating their work for the first time and first-time visitors, curious as to what Aroma of Art is all about.

The food was not only delicious, it was beautifully displayed in the front room of Taste Full Beans Coffee House. Thanks so much to L&L Catering for the amazing spread!

Thanks to all of the artists who donated so generously to the auction - it could not be a success without you! Thanks to all of the volunteers who served in a wide variety of capacities, from food and drink servers, to all who helped with the checkout process. We truly were a crack professional team! And thanks especially to Edgar and DW of Taste Full Beans for being the hosts with the most! Thanks too to Lisa Miller of the Women's Resource Center, Jennifer Hart Dockey of ALFA and Jane Earnest of the Humane Society of Catawba County for coordinating such a smooth ending to the evening.

Pictures of the event will be posted soon, and the links to the artists will stay up so that you can keep up with all that's new.

If you bid on some items but did not make it to the finale, please stop in this week at Taste Full Beans Coffee House or call to see if you are a winner. There were several items not claimed as of the close of the finale, so many of you have wonderful art waiting for you to take home.

Come Bid on All the Jewelry!

There has been such an outpouring from jewelry artists this year for the Aroma of Art auction at Taste Full Beans! Local jewelry artists and some from Asheville, Greensboro and Charlotte have donated their work.

The photos you see in this post are pieces by Mary Alexander of Magpie's Treasures and are on display and for bid at the auction.

There is still time to place your bids! Make a visit to Taste Full Beans to get your bid number. The final bidding will end at 6:30 pm tomorrow evening, February 28. We hope to see you at the finale!

Aroma of Art Finale - Join us at Taste Full Beans for the Auction!

The Aroma of Art silent art auction comes to an end on Saturday night, February 28 beginning at 5:00 PM. Proceeds benefit three nonprofit groups, ALFA, Humane Society of Catawba County, and the Women's Resource Center. Taste Full Beans in downtown Hickory is hosting Aroma of Art, and the public is welcome to come and bid on the beautiful fine artwork, pottery, jewelry, photographs and woven pieces. All you need to do is to come into Taste Full Beans and get a bid number. The photographs shown here, titled "Trees", "Cheers!" and "Straws", are by Cindy and Sam Tallman and are part of the Aroma of Art auction.

Each of the three groups receiving funds from AOA support a variety of needs in Western North Carolina that directly benefit the people in our community. You can show your support for all non-profits by attending the AOA finale and taking home some beautiful artwork.

Lisa Miller, Executive Director of the Women's Resource Center says, "Proceeds from AOA will directly support local women going through difficult transitions - including unemployment, divorce, illness, and mental health issues. In 2008, WRC staff and trained volunteers responded one-on-one to 716 requests for help. These requests came from Catawba, Burke, Caldwell, and Alexander counties. Community donations can help an unemployed woman receive professional clothing, laundry detergent to wash clothes, and a $10 gas card to help her get to her interview and back home."

Executive Director of ALFA, Jennifer A. Hart, tells us, "Funds raised from Aroma of Art will be used to support the ongoing mission of ALFA, specifically to provide life-saving services to people living with HIV/AIDS, and to provide free and confidential HIV counseling and testing services to an eight county service area. Funds can provide co-pays for expensive medications and treatments or support ALFA's food and hygiene pantry. Funds will also be utilized to purchase UniGold HIV antibody tests. With just a prick of the finger, results can be read in just ten minutes. We thank Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse for recognizing the critical need for HIV/AIDS awareness and compassionate support in our community!"

"With the funds raised through Aroma of Art, Humane Society of Catawba County will be able to rescue 15 or more homeless animals. We will be able to spay/neuter, perform a complete medical exam with tests, give vaccinations, provide shelter and feed and groom these animals while we work towards finding them a Forever Home," says Jane Earnest, Executive Director of HSCC.

The finale begins at 5:00 PM with hors d'oeuvres, wine and coffee provided. Bidding ends at 6:30 PM with check-out following immediately.

If you don't already have a bid number, there's still time to get one at Taste Full Beans. Taste Full Beans is located in downtown Hickory at 29 2nd Street, NW, Hickory, NC 28601. Form more information, call 828-325-0108.

Cry of the Wolf

This is another fine offering from our friends at Wolf Song Studio. This painting by Sandi Baker is titled "Nala" . I am a big fan of both Sandi and JW Baker's work and have one of Sandi's paintings hanging in my home.

Their talents combine with paint and canvas to create images of nature that are truly extraordinary. This image of Nala looks like she will step right out of the painting!

Treat yourself to a visit to Tastefull Beans for good food and drink, and the experience of seeing the Baker's work along with all of the other wonderful artists on display.

Remember, everything is being auctioned off for charity and the bidding will end at the finale on Saturday, February 28th at 6:30 PM. The evening starts at 5:00 PM and will feature finger food, wine and other beverages and lots of good conversation. Hope to see all of you there!

The Bright Glow of Silver

Here are two more beautiful offerings from one of our artists....Earrings and Necklace of Opalite by Jessi Eurich. See her link under AOA Artists Online. You can see these and other wonderful auction items at Tastefull Beans in Hickory.

This painting on auction is by one of Tastefull Beans long time favorite artists, Derfla.

The title of this painting is "Uncle Lego" and is on display and up for bidding at Tastefull Beans Coffee House through Saturday, Feb 28th when the bidding will end at 6:30 PM.

We hope to see you at the finale which starts at 5:00 PM.

Of Earth and Fire...

Pottery is a time honored traditional art form here in North Carolina. From the kiln openings around Western NC to the many galleries across the state, you will find generations of potters showing their skill and artistry, from the functional to the purely decorative.

The Aroma of Art auction is no exception. We have several examples of gorgeous pottery for you to bid on. This piece was made by David Bellar and is just one of the fine pieces donated to the auction. Come see the variety and skill of local craftsman and bid on a piece or two - its all for good causes and will give you a piece of NC history to boot. The auction will go on until the Saturday, February 28th, so be sure to get into Tastefull Beans Coffee House to see all that is on display and to place your bid!

Jewelry and more Jewelry!

We have so much wonderful jewelry up for auction this year! Its a great time to come in to Tastefull Beans to see the enormous talent in the local and outlying areas of Hickory. We have had local artists donate items, and we have also had several artists from the Asheville, Hendersonville and Charlotte areas offer their work for the auction.

For the jewelry lover and wearer in your life, this is a great time to come and bid on a wide variety of styles. All one of a kind, all hand made by North Carolina jewelers. Stop by the blog everyday for more featured artists donations.

The pieces in the photos here are by PJ Yang.

Aroma of Art

by Scott Owens

Heady scent of coffee beans

and paint, curve of potter’s wheel,

smooth finish, stained glass,

filigreed jewelry, playful stones,

lacework of fuzzy scarves,

blab of poems, sensual photos

of lily, rose, and orchid,

perfect harmony of “Guinivere,”

murmur of lovers whispering

soft seduction, art,

music, people coming together

in an ekphrastic moment of poetry.

Painting by JW Baker, titled "Grey Days", donation to the Aroma of Art auction.

Calling all art photography lovers ...

This is one of the beautiful items donated to the Aroma of Art auction. This photograph titled "Azalea Grandeur" is donated by Janice Setzler. The bidding on this item and all the items for the auction will go on through the end of February.

There is much more to see at the Tastefull Beans Aroma of Art auction so make a trip in soon to look and place a bid!

Ekphrastic Poetry Reading

Ekphrastic Poetry
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

February 26, 2009
6 to 8 PM, Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse in Downtown Hickory

This event features writings inspired by the art donations and is complementary to the month long silent auction.

Mark Your Calendar for the Finale

2008 Finale
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

L&L Catering will be providing a wonderful array of food for the finale Sat. Feb. 28. Bidding officially ends at 6:30 pm so make sure to get your bids in before it's too late.

Aroma of Art Ekphrastic Poetry Event

Inspired by the donations? You are invited to submit writings connected to the donated art in the AOA auction. Local poets are invited to write poems inspired by the art and submit them for inclusion in the exhibit.

A panel of judges will select 20-25 pieces to be displayed next to the artwork. The authors of these works will be invited to participate in a reading at Taste Full Beans on February 26, from 6-8. Some selected poems will also be featured in "Musings".

Poems should include the author's name and the title of the artwork the poem is based on. Submit by February 17 to asowens1@yahoo.com or at Taste Full Beans.

Molli Koltun donation - heart pendant

Molli Koltun 1
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Molli Koltun jewelry donation

Molli Koltun 2
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

110 Items and Counting

Over 50 people signed up for bid numbers at the AOA kick off and over $1,500 worth of bids were placed by the evening's end. Items continue to come in including photography, various jewelry pieces, pottery, and hand made trays.

If you don't already have a bid number, make a point to stop by the coffeeshop to sign up. It's easy to do and only takes about five minutes. Keep checking out the blog as we update you on new items up for bid!

Photo: ALFA Director Jennifer Hart Dockey, HSCC Director Jane Earnest, and HSCC Community Outreach Manager George Page enjoying the kick-off

Nicole Mosteller, baby Zoey, and Linda Sheehan

Nicole Mosteller, baby Zoey, and Linda Sheehan
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Artist wins flower raffle at Kick-Off

Artist wins flower raffle
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Suzanna McMahan Jewelry donation

Suzanna McMahanjewelry 361
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Not Too Late to Donate Art

If you have artwork to donate to Aroma of Art - we are still able to take it. We are halfway to our goal of 130 items and we need your help to meet it. Are you an artist? Please consider making a donation. If not - please share this post with friends, family, neighbors. You never know when you may have an artist waiting in your social circles.

Thanks for your help and hope to see you at our Aroma of Art Kick-Off this Friday from 5 to 7 PM

Hand painted metal art

Hand painted metal art
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Necklace

Necklace
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Painting donated by Patti Fenick

Painting donated by Patti Fenick
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

small purse

small purse
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Ginny Moreland donating stained glass

Ginny Moreland donating stained glass
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Bathroom photography series

Bathroom photography series
Originally uploaded by wrchickorync

Fantastic Donations at Art Drop Off

We received over 40 donations during the drop off event tonight. Already there are some amazing items that will be featured during the month long auction including fabricated painted metal sun, hand made marbled paper, wood and bead jewelry, a ceramic fish, beautiful fabric purses, and Catawba Valley pottery.

We want to give a huge thank you to all the artists that came out to donate and look forward to more art to come.