Local Artists Raise Money for Charity

Leaving the financial security of a job to pursue a dream isn’t something that most people have the courage to do, but local artist Sue Rena Curtis did just that.

Once employed in the corporate world, she quit her job to satisfy her creative side when she moved 14 years ago to . Now a successful artist who makes custom stained glass mobiles, she has seen her business take off in the past eight years, ever since she first exhibited–and sold several pieces—at the Cape St. Claire Strawberry Festival.

Likewise, Wende Woodham, Curtis’s close friend and fellow artist who lives on Kent Island, retired after 24 years of service in the U.S. Army and began to pursue her passion of ribbon-based art.

The two friends quickly bonded over their mutual love of all things colorful and creative, and have championed each other’s success through the years.

Neither has formal training in the arts. Instead, they’ve allowed their imaginations to fuel their talent. In fact, Curtis explored several mediums before her love for glass took off. She started by making dried flower wreaths and then moved to working with driftwood sculptures before deciding to create glass art.

“I didn’t know anything about glass, cutting it, designing with it, but I received a box of old glass pieces and just started working with it,” says Curtis. “Now, after working with glass for so many years, I am pretty comfortable.”

Curtis is inspired by colors in the world around her and her longtime fascination with kaleidoscopes influences her designs. “Mine is a structural art, and I work on each piece as it hangs from the ceiling. It has to balance correctly but, until I pull out the last hook [holding it], I don’t know exactly how it will hang, though I am getting more intuitive,” she says.

Woodham had always amassed ribbon and pieces of fabric in a big box, but until she retired in 1999, she never knew exactly what to do with her collection. Inspiration struck when she began forming the pieces into abstract picture frame designs to give as gifts for her former fellow Army coworkers.

“I find it kind of funny that I went from being an Army sergeant to being an artist,” she laughs, “because they don’t have much in common other than both of them starting with the letter ‘A’.”

A couple of years later, Woodham began to refocus her woven ribbon designs to feature actual images from nature inspired by living on the Chesapeake Bay, including trees, herons and sailboats. Further expanding her repertoire, she now creates wearable ribbon and glass art pendants which also showcase her designs of the Bay.

Most recently, Woodham was commissioned by Annapolis’ Ginger Cove retirement community to create seven pieces of artwork for their community spaces. “I’ve already completed a 30-inch by 40-inch piece that hangs over the fireplace, as well as six other pieces, including two large herons and four additional sailboat  scenes,” says Woodham.

Though their backgrounds are diverse, Curtis and Woodham’s friendship quickly blossomed after they first met several years ago. Curtis soon invited Woodham to be part of Curly Girl Artisans, an art group that she helped found to showcase and sell local art.

Then, five years ago, the duo decided it was time to give back to the community and incorporated a fundraising raffle into their annual art show.

Each year, Curtis and Woodham invite guest artists to participate so that a variety of art is featured for sale. Each artist also donates a piece for the raffle and tickets are sold during the show. Every penny of the raffle proceeds is donated to charity.

A different organization is chosen each year and past donations have gone to Hospice of the Chesapeake, Hospice of Queen Anne’s and Team Tommy, an organization started by one of Curtis’ Curly Girl Artisans co-founders to benefit children with prolonged illnesses.

All told, over the past five years, Curly Girl Artisans shows have raised and donated thousands of dollars to local charities.

The location of the annual art shows changes every year which, according to Curtis, “really changes the flavor of each show and keeps them interesting.” Sometimes, their show may be held at a community center while in other years, one of the artists will open her home.

The designated charity is chosen by the artist hosting the show and this year’s event is at Curtis’s home. She selected Sarah’s House, an emergency shelter and transitional housing facility in the Fort Meade area serving men, women and children who are homeless. “I thought the current economy warranted the choice this year,” Curtis says.

In addition to Curtis’s stained glass mobiles and Woodham’s ribbon artwork at this year’s art show, the guest artists Joan B. Machinchick, Melissa Kay-Steves and Nancy O’Brien will provide illustrations and calligraphy, jewelry and painted furniture.

The Curly Girl Artisan Show kicks off with an evening reception with light refreshments on Friday, April 15, from 7 to 9 p.m., then with an open house the following day, on April 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the raffle drawing held at 3 p.m.

The event is held at Sue Rena Curtis’s home in Cape St. Claire at 1009 Lake Claire Road. There is no entry fee for the show itself, and raffle tickets are $1 each or six tickets for $5, with all proceeds going to Sarah’s House.