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Artists Guild celebrates 50 years with renewed focus
Bruce Matlock photo
Artist Guild member Ann Findley prepares artwork for display Tuesday at the Signal Hill Gallery.
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Published: October 28, 2009
As part of its golden anniversary, the Artists Guild of Statesville is sprucing up its gallery at the Signal Hill Mall and recommitting itself to the promotion of local artists.
"It took us three days just to spackle up the holes in the walls," said Guild President Margery Turnipseed. "And we repainted all the walls so all the art will stand out better."
Turnipseed explained that the mall has donated the space for the gallery for the past several years.
But only in the past month have mall owners asked the guild to take over the operation of the gallery.
"They want us to take care of the space," Turnipseed said. "They want the gallery to be a drawing card for the mall."
To do that, Turnipseed said frankly, the gallery will have to feature better work.
"We want the gallery to be a place people can go to buy quality art without having to go to Winston-Salem or Charlotte," Turnipseed said. "Most people in Statesville who want to hang high-quality art behind their couch have had to go out of town to get it, and we want to change that."
Turnipseed said the art will also be rotated out on a quarterly basis so the work doesn't become too stale.
"Marketing is important if you're going to sell art," she said.
On top of now being responsible for the gallery, the guild — celebrating its 50th anniversary this year — recently launched a Web site and installed a phone in the gallery for those interested in the artwork or the guild.
"We're stepping it up and getting a little more classy," Turnipseed said.
The Signal Hill Gallery will reopen Nov. 5 with its exhibit, "A Fall Festival of Art."
The opening will also feature a competition for artists who can win cash prizes.
Sandra Campbell, the guild's secretary, did a lot of the refurbishing work. On Monday afternoon, she was still pulling masking tape down from the ceiling.
"I'm very excited about the changes," Campbell said. "I love the space. It's big and open and white. And I think it's something people are really going to be happy with."
The guild
The Artists Guild of Statesville was founded in 1959. For information about becoming a member or to find out more about the Signal Hill Gallery, go to the guild's Web site at www.statesvilleart.org or call (704) 873-9394.
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