Art Is Food For the Soul, and Like Fresh Produce From a Local Market, Fine Art is Well Within Reach.

Fashion Icon Iris Apfel

       "Life Is Gray. How You Live It, Is What Adds The Color."      

     Having recently celebrated her 91st birthday, the subject of a new documentary by Maysles Films, and completing a new collection of handbags and jewelry, Iris Apfel can hardly be accused of living a colorless life. Obvious throughout her decades of success as a leader in interior and textile design, fashion for Iris is food for the soul and fuel for a long active life. Recently featured on Advanced Style, I found Ms. Apfel's example to be an inspiration for colorful living.

The Weatherspoon Art Museum UNCG

     After years in the apparel and home furnishings industries, I often find myself feeling a style void these days. While I am still dabbling on the sidelines of home design, I miss the excitement of attending seasonal markets, spotting new directions in decor, watching budding young talent take center stage, keeping my finger on the pulse of lifestyle trends and changing styles. I do my best to stay current reading prominent periodicals, following industry blogs and trend leaders, but I still miss feeling the currents of change, following my instincts and making my own delicious discoveries. 

Painting by noted Greensboro Artist Denise Landi

     How do I tap into that river of creativity from my current, somewhat isolate, vantage point? Thanks to the recent invitation from a friend to attend a local art opening, my dilemma has been delightfully illuminated. There is a teaming world of art and design going on in nearly every community these days. I had forgotten the power of work produced right under my nose, and I'm adding participation in local arts to my Bucket List. I intend to take every advantage of area museums, exhibits, and galleries on a more regular basis. Whether it's a day trip to the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, the Green Hill Gallery, or one of the charming small galleries on South Elm Street, I believe at the very least a monthly meal of fine art may be exactly the food my hungry soul longs for.

Artist Alice Bachman Exhibits her work in a downtown gallery