Business Women Emphasize Art and Connection
Posted Sunday, November 13, 2022 at 12:00pm
brad duents
brad.dountz@salisburypost.com
Salisbury – The Women in Business Program of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce held its monthly event Thursday evening at the Center for Faith and the Arts.
The group’s meetings are designed to support local women in business and they have been helping them connect with others in the area for over 10 years.
“Having these events is very popular because businesses and organizations see it as a way to attract people who wouldn’t normally come to your business or organization,” said Elaine Spalding, president of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce. “It’s great business networking, professional development, everything we can do to support our local business community and encourage people to buy local.”
Many business women attended the event to meet, share contact information and get to know each other. The raffle provided prizes and plenty of food and drink for attendees.
A partnership with the Center for Faith and the Arts, a nonprofit that advocates for community arts, also helps showcase female artists. Grants help fund work with other local nonprofits.
“This is a great opportunity for women in the Chamber of Commerce to see what the Center for Faith and the Arts is all about, as many of us have never been to this place before,” said Donna Gross of the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce ( Donna Groce said. Chairman of the Business Ambassador Committee.
Much of the artwork on display has been intentionally damaged to emphasize how artists should let go of themselves and follow the belief that art is more spiritual and emotional than purely material.
“Every piece of work is based on a moral question that we as artists should ask ourselves, and the second meaning is not to try to control and understand that art lives on you. Even if your work is destroyed. Even if you lose it, whether by accident For whatever reason, you should not stop making because you are sad, because you are art. It comes from you, and you are an endless well,” said Shane Menier, a visual artist at the Center for Faith and the Arts.
Some people attend these events because they see the value in building that relationship and what it means to them and to others.
“The first thing I did when I arrived in Salisbury was find the Chamber of Commerce,” said Elsie Smoluk, representative of PPLSI, which owns the LegalShield and IDShield brands. “I’ve been a businesswoman for over 40 years and I’ve always enjoyed working with and supporting other women. So I was very excited to see that there was actually a section in the Chamber just for women in business .”
You can attend next month’s event and experience it for yourself. “If you’re interested in finding like-minded people who want to support you, this is a great place to go,” she said.
During the event, people laughed and exchanged business cards.
Shane Menier said the community helped destroy some of the artwork.
Menil’s partner personally helped destroy the painting, which was critical of the commercial image of Jesus Christ.
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