the CCAL
- Nov 21, 2020
- 4 min read

December 2020 Presenter: Marquerite Palmer

We invite you to join us at our meeting on Monday Dec 14, 2020 for some holiday fun and fellowship! NOTE: This is NOT our usual 3rd Monday. We've moved it up a week due to holiday conflicts. Be sure to mark your calendar for the correct date! This is our monthly members meeting. Hope to see you there - members and guests welcome!

Due to COVID and in light of increased safety and social distancing guidelines, we are (for now) going digital. So, we're bringing this meeting to you online - straight to your home studio or sofa, so we can stay connected during these unprecedented times. Our online presenter for this meeting will be Marquerite Palmer, Executive Director of the Newberry Arts Center. While the Newberry Arts Center showcases the arts throughout the year, during the holiday season they celebrate with special holiday classes and events. Marquerite will be showcasing the programs, classes, workshops and other (Christmas and otherwise) events happening at Newberry Arts Center. A brief history of how the arts center was started in 2013 will also be a part of her presentation along with a few images of her art work and pottery.

Also, the winners of the juried 3rd Annual Still Hopes Exhibition will be announced live during the meeting. You don't want to miss it!

To keep the business meeting shorter, please review the information provided by our President regarding Board business activities and decisions prior to the meeting <check here to review>.

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89404936824

The Zoom session will open at 6:45pm

The Presentation will begin at 7pm

(See Zoom link details at bottom of this post)

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Marquerite Palmer

Marquerite Fowler Palmer grew up in Duncan, South Carolina. In the early 1990’s, Marquerite began looking for a rural community in which she could offer her talents as an artist/potter, and a friendly small town to raise her 3 young girls. Her goal was to help provide art programs for at-risk children. In 1993, Marquerite discovered Newberry, SC. It was also the perfect place to raise her three young daughters and establish a home for her pottery business.

While working toward her dream of establishing an arts center in Newberry, Marquerite helped start after school art programs, taught art in the public school system, taught pottery at Newberry College, and actively volunteered her time and talents in her church and other community organizations. In 2014, the Newberry Arts Center was established through the City of Newberry Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department with Marquerite as the Director. With the help of Marguerite’s pottery mentors and friends, the Newberry Arts Center began the annual South Carolina Clay Conference in 2015.

Marquerite feels there is still so much to do in Newberry. She believes that art enriches people’s lives; and that through creating, children and adults find a voice within themselves that grows confidence and understanding. Marquerite is married to Joe Palmer, who she says is her best friend and most trusted adviser. They enjoy camping, traveling and spending time with their children and six granddaughters.

Newberry Arts Center

The Newberry Arts Center was established in 2014 and is a division of the City’s Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department. In less than a year a solid arts program was established that includes programs for all ages. The mission of the Newberry Arts Center (NAC) and Newberry Arts Program is to provide quality arts experiences to all interested citizens and increase support for working artists while creating appreciative current and future art patrons by involving the diverse population and fostering local economic growth while enhancing the quality of life for all residents. The NAC also established and hosted the first ever South Carolina Clay Conference, an annual conference for clay enthusiasts held in Newberry each year. NAC is also supported by CREATE Newberry, Inc. which is chartered as a non-profit organization under section 501(c)(3) of federal tax law (#85-1035631). Your donations to the Newberry Arts Center through CREATE Newberry, Inc. are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. The NAC Mission: The Mission of the Newberry Arts Center is to provide quality arts experiences to all greater Newberry area citizens and increase support for working artists; thereby enhancing Newberry’s growing reputation as a center for visual, performing and literary arts. The Newberry Arts Center promotes the growth of current and future art patrons through the arts programs, offering scholarship opportunities where needed and thereby fostering local economic growth and enhancing all residents’ quality of life.