I was invited out to the Cary Arts Center this weekend to attend a special screening of Barry…read moreGordy's The Last Dragon. As a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop and Black History Month, this was a unique event. There were 2 guest DJ's who spun old school hip hop throughout the event and a DJ who spun a live score throughout the entirety of the film. It was refreshing to see so many people of color come out to this side of town to gather. There was merchandise being sold in the lobby and food trucks such as Presto and Go Yaki in the parking lot. It was convenient for those attending this 3 hour long event. The staff kept things organized and they were kind and welcoming. The facility itself is in need of some renovations and updating. I get that this is a old historical building. I will definitely return for further programming of interest.

Saturday, 14Jan2023 Event: DR. MARTIN L. KING JR. ANNUAL…read moreDREAMFEST WEEKEND Dr. Harry L. White Jr. gave a profound, thought-provoking speech on moving from dreaming to DOING. All of the performers who came on stage for this event were amazing. I enjoyed this event in its entirety.

Jane, one of the featured artists at this gallery, was very welcoming and friendly when I stopped…read morein briefly. The art is very high quality, and I'll be back to check out their holiday popups and such. It's amazing to see a place with so many local artists. The selection was varied--jewelry, paintings, sketches, 2D/3D art, and more. Truly impressive, pricey but for good reason.

An amazing place for buying some really beautiful art by local artists. This surprising gallery…read morehas paintings, photos, prints, some stoneware and a few other miscellaneous items. It's nice to see work of local talent in one spot. Each month CGA highlights a local artist . As a added bonus, on the last Friday of the month you can meet the artist(s) to hear first-hand about the work you were just admiring, or to hear about his or her inspirations. Periodically, CGA holds weeklong auctions in which you bid on a piece and stop back during the week to see if your bid won. It's a good way to add pieces into your collection at an affordable price. If you're the type who wants to hear about the art, the people working can talk in detail about the artists technique, use of color, and previous works. At least that's been my experience the couple of times I've stopped by. It's less crowded than a museum(!)

We had some time to kill and were looking for a non-chain coffee spot. This one was close by and…read morehad great reviews. So we decided to give them a try. We had a little difficulty finding it. GPS brought us to the parking lot behind the building. There isn't clear signage to direct you where to go. We managed to find our way up the stairs and into the building. There are a number of businesses located inside. Lucky Tree is super cute. It's set up to encourage working, with plenty of charging spots all around. There is a variety of seating, from long wooden tables to smaller individual areas. We ordered a chai latte and golden milk latte, both with oat milk. Both drinks were good. Fyi there is a separate entrance from the side that takes you directly to another smaller parking lot.

I decided to try this out for a quick coffee stop while in town for a conference. The service was…read morefriendly and quick! I tried the breakfast bagel bites, which were soft and warm. I loved the cheese on top! I was not a huge fan of the flavor the almond flour gave them but it was not overpowering. I would probably get them again! They had a lot of options as far as specialty lattes but I am glad I went with the Vanilla Maple. I was worried that the maple flavor would be too much but it complimented the vanilla well. The inside was VERY well decorated, and I would've loved to stay and do a little computer work! I could see myself coming by and sitting down for a quick brunch, meeting up with friends, or staying for a work session.

During my weekend visit in Raleigh, I could not waste the opportunity to go to the museum. I don't…read moreever get tired of looking at their fine art collection and exhibits. Numerous people with their friends and family came out this past weekend to also enjoy the greenway and outdoor art. There's also a café and small museum shop inside. We had a great time.

Summary: 4.0 - Free and art go hand-in-hand here. If you like both, NC MoA is worth your time…read more Free admission to the NCMA to see art and history is a gift. If one doesn't mind the West Building (although new, it felt old to me), the different galleries containing historical art pieces (new and old, and very old) organized by continents are educational and surprisingly full of variety. The East Building (original one) hosts both permanent and limited-time collections. I've enjoyed a car exhibit, but my favorite limited-time exhibit featured Academy Award winner Ruth E. Carter's costumes for the movies "Black Panther", "Selma", "Amistad", and others. Her showcase exhibit was well worth the price of admission. A huge museum park provides miles of trails and places for picnics. If one plans accordingly, a series of trails connects all the way from the museum to downtown Raleigh! MISC Opened in 1956. Has pieces that originate from about 5,000 years ago (but thankfully it doesn't take that long to go through the museum). The museum is accessibility-friendly. A museum store and café are onsite. Tours are available. Outdoor concerts are on hiatus at the time of this review for "facility improvements." Be sure to check the museum's website for updates.

My friend and I browsed through here while killing some time in downtown Cary. The two ladies…read moreworking greeted us kindly. The space isn't too large, but has a good amount of inventory. They feature artists of different backgrounds with different techniques. The shop has your standard handmade pottery wares. I loved all their vintage Christmas trees. If they weren't so pricey I'd have an entire wall full of them!

Functional Pottery. Cary Pottery has it in a perfect setting…read more Off the main road in downtown Cary, Cary Pottery is in a cute one-story house. It's much smaller than I expected, but the front three rooms display the colorful pottery quite nicely. When I walked in, I first noticed the fireplace and the shelves surrounding it with the bright pottery. Most of the pieces are the kind with the lighter color glazing on top blending down to the main solid color on the bottom. It's the solid color pieces that are the most interesting though. They show the patterns in the pottery itself. I noticed it most in one of the vessel sinks. Those are really spectacular. Because it's functional pottery, it can be used for food. As nice as the pieces would look on a shelf, it's even better to know they're useable. Bowls, cups, mugs, plates and large platters, everything is made on site. Cary Pottery offers a good opportunity to pick up a gift "made in Cary" for yourself or for your out of town friends. It's easier to show them what they're missing

A gallery and studio owned and operated by one artist, Catherine Martin, who both creates and…read moredisplays her work here as well as uses it to teach students. This is a working studio. Unlike most galleries exclusively for displaying finished art, this place has the look of an art school. The back room has the requisite paint splatters, a color wheel of sorts on the wall and displays of student art. The front room, currently in the midst of a reorganization showcases the artist's work. The artist-owner, Catherine, assured me the canvases on the walls, leaning against the walls, or on the floor, would be displayed more appropriately once she finished rearranging them. In a way, though, the haphazard arrangement really made it seem I was seeing part of the creative process. The owner and artist was very sweet and took time to explain her inspirations. It was fascinating. Her works, and even those by her students, are in the impressionist style, with the vivid colors reminiscent of that era. There were canvases of all sizes, but the most striking for me was a small scene in the front window that Ms Martin said she painted of the area out behind her gallery. There was something about that picture that made time disappear. Nothing in it suggested it was a modern time or a modern work. It was captivating.

I love this artist both personally and professionally. Professionally her work has made my house a…read morehome. I get very real pleasure from the works of art that grace my walls - she brings a loving touch to every piece of art she creates. Personally, talking to her - she is a delight in every way. Warm, genuine and civic minded she is a credit to her community of artists and to Apex. She gives of her time and talent to wonderful causes and wherever she has been or wherever her art hangs is made so much better for it. I simply adore her and am so glad that my realtor, 10 years ago, drove me down Salem Street and I looked into her studio window and just went ahhhh!!!!

Vanya's is a wonderful art store. It's specialty seems to be African and African American Art and…read morecustom framing although I did see a few items that looked to be from the southwest US. The prints and the art intrigued me for some reason. There was something very personal about the images that were captured on the canvas. Amazing and beautiful prints and lithos of people celebrating and just living life. I was especially intrigued by what looked like hard carved pieces, but ran out of time before I could ask about them. But now I have another reason to go back. It's worth a trip.