Charlotte's Oldest Non-profit Arts Organization And Gallery Gets Creative To Support Local Artists
ncarol.com/10054010

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - ncarol.com -- In many ways, arts are the glue that binds a community together, and Charlotte Art League (CAL), one of the city's oldest arts institutions, is thinking outside the box to ensure that its artists have opportunities to meet people where they are – even as we are living separate lives. Virtual art shows, live demonstrations on social media, and inviting the public to take a deeper dive into the artistic process are among the initiatives introduced by CAL.

"Aside from being a positive diversion, art gives the community a time to be expressive and a platform to say, 'This is how I'm feeling, and this is how I express it'," explains Jim Dukes, CAL's Community Director. "Artists have always been documentarians of the things that go on in the world. We want to preserve their ability to document these events through visual art, the spoken word and the written word."

More on ncarol.com

• Qscription Technologies Welcomes Joanna Krause, MD, MRMD to Its Clinical Advisory Board
• Jamie Foxx's SKVLK Fest Sets the Record Straight on Stabbing Reports Following Star-Studded Celebration
• Andrew Balzano Releases One of My Life's Passions: Classics and Mysteries, a Fan's Guide to Great Mysteries Worth Rewatching
• The 4th Annual Newark Summit for Economic Development, Placemaking & Innovation Returns on December 8th
• Romanian Software Company ASSIST Software Ranks Second Nationally Among Large Enterprises in Its Category

As Dukes notes, CAL is providing those opportunities by keeping artists engaged in their creative processes – and inviting the public to come along for the journey. CAL's April exhibit, A'bstrakt, has been transformed into a virtual exhibit where pieces can be viewed (and purchased) via an online gallery. On social media, CAL is encouraging artists to share their artistic processes and experiences during this crisis with their followers. A new communication area on CAL's website distributes information and resources to both members and members of the community.

CAL artist Wil Bosbyshell, who has participated in virtual exhibits through Southern Arts Society, Inc. and Fine Arts League of Cary, understands the value in making inspirational pieces available to the public in these challenging times. "I personally have increased my social media sharing of art as inspiration as opposed to sharing it for marketing purposes," he notes. "I hope my art is a little bit of inspiration, a moment of positivity in these times." Bosbyshell is using this time to focus on a new drawing series - close-ups of heavily textural trees that in the future, he hopes to use to bring attention to climate change.

More on ncarol.com

• HIRO Ostomy Belt Launch by Richard O'Hamill
• New Omega-3 Fish Oil Under NIH Investigation: What Makes It Different From EPA and DHA?
• Lake Norman Philharmonic - Free Holiday Concert
• S&P 500's 4.4% Plunge: Buy the Dip or Wait? KayeDinero Spotlights TrendSetter
• Technical Brief Examines Enterprise Integration Challenges as AI Agent Platforms Expand

Other ways Dukes notes that CAL is keeping artists engaged in the community include establishing a web page that lists all members' social media links, establishing a Meet the Artists web page that provides a deeper look at how and why they create art, expanding their online gallery, and attending weekly meetings with the Arts and Science Council and other Charlotte area arts organizations to collaborate.


About Charlotte Art League: Founded in 1965, Charlotte Art League has served as an accessible gateway to the arts experience for art lovers of all ages and backgrounds. More info: https://www.charlotteartleague.org