>>> FOSTERING A CREATIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR ARTISTS,
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND ENHANCING THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
ART IS THE MISSION STATEMENT FOR ARTWORKS IN WILMINGTON.
THE 7,000 SQUARE FEET GALLERY GIVES ARTISTS A PLACE TO SHOW
THEIR WORK, THE COMMUNITY AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADMIRE AND
PURCHASE FINE ART, AND A VENUE TO HOST PRIVATE EVENTS.
PRODUCER KEITH BLATZ HEADED TO WILMINGTON TO CHECK IT OUT.
>> THE BUILDING WAS ONCE A SHIRT FACTORY, BUT TODAY IT'S FAST
BECOMING THE PREMIER PLACE FOR WORKING ARTISTS.
ARTWORKS' 7,000 SQUARE FEET OF ART GALLERY IS GIVING ARTISTS
FROM ALL OVER WILMINGTON A PLACE TO COME CREATE, WORK, AND
DISPLAY SOME OF THEIR ART.
>> WE'VE GOT A CRITICAL MASS NOW.
WE HAVE, LIKE, 40 ARTISTS ALL SO DIFFERENT.
IT'S A PLACE TO COME.
YOU SHARE YOUR IDEAS.
YOU MAKE YOUR PRODUCT.
YOU SELL YOUR PRODUCT.
I THINK IT'S VERY UNIQUE.
IS THE ONLY PLACE IN WILMINGTON LIKE THIS, AND WHEN THIS PLACE
IS FINISHED, MY RENT WOULD PROBABLY TRIPLE IN HERE IF I
EVER LEFT.
>> WITH OVER 40 ARTISTS AND RAPIDLY GROWING, EACH ARTIST HAS
HIS OWN UNIQUE SPACE.
ARTISTS DECORATE THE OUTSIDE OF THEIR GALLERIES AND INVITE
GUESTS IN.
GUESTS ARE WELCOME TO POP THEIR HEADS IN AND WATCH AN ARTIST
WORK AND EVEN ASK QUESTIONS.
FOR THE FIRST-TIME VISITOR ROBIN OWENS, SHE'S AMAZED BY ALL THE
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ARTISTS AND THEIR OPENNESS.
>> I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS EXISTED, BUT I'VE LOVED THAT
WILMINGTON IS JUST GETTING MORE AND MORE INTO THE ARTS, AND I
LOVE VISITING THE STUDIOS AND TALKING TO THE LOCAL ARTISTS.
I'VE ONLY BEEN HERE A FEW MINUTES, BUT EVERYTHING'S JUST
SO COLORFUL AND BRIGHT, AND IT'S DIFFERENT.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN A TYPICAL -- YOU KNOW, YOU THINK, OH, AN ART
STUDIO.
YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE TYPICAL PAINTINGS AND STUFF, BUT
THIS IS -- EVERYTHING'S DIFFERENT AND INDIVIDUALIZED.
SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
JUST A FEW THINGS I'VE SEEN, JUST GLASSWORK AND THINGS THAT
YOU WOULD NEVER THINK OF.
>> I'VE HEARD EVERYONE, WHEN I'VE TALKED TO PEOPLE VISITING
IN, IS THAT THEY ARE JUST REALLY SURPRISED OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
ARTISTS HERE AND THE FRIENDLINESS, THE WARMTH, THE
ENTHUSIASM.
THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE ARE -- ARE SEEING WHEN THEY COME IN HERE,
AND THE -- I TALKED WITH A WOMAN JUST EARLIER, AND SHE SAYS THE
ENERGY, IT'S SUCH A POSITIVE ENERGY, AND IT JUST MAKES YOU
FEEL GREAT.
>> ARTWORKS HAS A VARIETY OF ARTISTS FROM PAINTERS TO
GLASSWORKERS AND EVEN METALWORKERS LIKE GREG HALL.
AT ARTWORKS, EVERY ARTIST'S PIECE MUST BE HANDMADE, MAKING
EACH PIECE ONE OF A KIND.
FOR THE COMMUNITY, ARTWORKS WANTS TO CREATE A UNIQUE
ATMOSPHERE OF CREATING ORIGINAL ART AND A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CAN
COME SHOP AND BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS.
>> YOU KNOW, OTHER ARTISTS WILL COME IN AND GIVE YOU SOME
COMMENTS ON WHAT YOU'RE WORKING ON AND MAYBE POINT OUT SOME --
SOME CONCERNS OR ISSUES YOU MAY NOT HAVE NOTICED OR THINGS THAT
COULD POTENTIALLY MAKE A PROJECT EVEN BETTER.
SO IT'S NICE TO BE ABLE TO BUILD OFF OF ONE ANOTHER AND HAVE
DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND VIEWS AROUND YOU.
AS ARTISTS HAVE COME IN, WE'VE KIND OF JUST BUILT THIS SENSE OF
COMMUNITY, AND WE CAN WORK OFF OF EACH OTHER, AND IT'S A NICE
ATMOSPHERE.
>> IT'S THAT ATMOSPHERE ARTWORKS HOPES WILL CONNECT WITH THE
COMMUNITY OF WILMINGTON.
MANY OF THE ARTISTS WORKED FROM HOME BEFORE JOINING ARTWORKS.
MANY FELT THEY WANTED TO BE AROUND OTHER GREAT ARTISTS BUT
ALSO WANTED A PLACE THEY COULD CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY AND
DISPLAY AND SELL WHAT THEY'VE CREATED.
>> THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY SHOW MY WORK AND CONNECT WITH PEOPLE,
IT'S A TRUE BLESSING FOR ME TO KNOW THAT WHEN SOMEBODY WALKS
INTO MY SPACE AND THEY WANT TO PURCHASE A PIECE OR THEY STAND
AND STARE AT IT THAT THERE'S A PART OF THEM THAT HAS CONNECTED.
SO TO BE ABLE TO WITNESS THAT FACE TO FACE AND IN PERSON IS --
YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE REASON I'VE OPENED THE STUDIO.
>> SO ON YOUR NEXT VISIT TO WILMINGTON, BE SURE TO STOP IN
AND EXPLORE ALL THE ART AND ARTISTS OF ARTWORKS.
IN WILMINGTON, FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M JEFF
SMITH.