Our Story

Our story began with a January, 2008 meeting of the Carolina Mixed Media Art Guild, in Raleigh, NC.  The small group of artists and crafters shared their work in the back room of a local bead/jewelry supply store. Michelle Davis Petelinz was welcomed to the group by Penny Arrowood (who was busily writing down details from the meeting, which later made her perfect for the role of Guild Secretary).  Fast forward a year:  Guild President Penny, and Vice President Michelle begin working together to develop and promote an extensive variety of creative, educational, and fun art experiences for the growing organization and its surrounding community.  The list includes:  participating in Art of the Carolinas (a 4-day extravaganza of classes, demonstrations and art supply sale sponsored by Jerry's Artarama);  mounting Guild art swaps, workshops, play days, field trips, and informational panels; maintaining a Guild blog highlighting members' work; artful charitable giving; a Guild retreat; taking part in The Sketchbook Project for the Brooklyn Art Library; joining an international mail art challenge (and later launching one of our own); becoming part of the artful Raleigh phenomenon of SPARKcon; multiple gallery shows of member work; offering monthly art experiences for children in the community center where the Guild's meetings were held (and as a result, being recognized in 2012, as an Outstanding Volunteer Group by the City of Raleigh); and embarking upon two large-scale collaborative canvas projects.   Through it all, during countless parking lot conversations, phone calls, studio dates, glasses of chilled Pinot Grigio, and Bangkok shrimp salad, the glimmer of what became the idea for Your Creative Connection was always tantalizingly close.  Penny and Michelle knew they worked extremely well together, both had the idea of creating a special, nurturing art-filled event, and since each had experience in running both large-and small-scale events, in 2017 they decided the time had come for Your Creative Connection to become a reality.  Read on to learn more about Your Hosts for Your Creative Connection events.