MOD Society Magazine - Triad March/April 2022

Brittain Knight Mehler

Linda Knight Carr

Greg Hughes

EDITOR from the

Hello, and so nice to meet you, marvelous MOD readers! I’m Jennifer Bringle, the new editor of MOD Society, and I am thrilled to be part of this gorgeous publication!

A bit about me: I’m a longtime journalist living in the heart of Greensboro with my husband, young son and senior cat. I’ve covered the home furnishings and design industry for the past nine years, and on top of that, I’ve written about everything from fashion to football. To say that MOD feels like a perfect fit would be an understatement!

That felt especially true as I worked on this issue. First off, I got a chance to catch up with one of my favorite design industry icons (and TV star) Thom Filicia, to talk furniture, inspiration and why High Point is the center of the design universe.

And speaking of the Furniture Capital of the World, in this issue we take you to the fabulous gallery of High Point artist Sabrina McGowens. Though once a pre-med student, Sabrina followed her passion for drawing and painting and opened her own space in Gallery on Main where she highlights the work of Black artists.

The sports fan in me got a thrill talking to Anne Marie Goslak, a former LPGA tour golfer and golf instructor at the Greensboro Country Club (hat tip to our fab Points of View columnist Lisa Johnson for the introduction!). Anne Marie not only gives beginners and old pros pointers to up their game, she also started a foundation to help young golfers without funding for lessons get the training to play on the collegiate level.

Our featured home was designed by the talented team at Knight Carr & Company. Interior designer Greg Hughes gave me the inside scoop on creating a haven for a couple who love travel and wine (sounds like my kind of people!). Don’t miss the results — a serene mix of fresh style and gorgeous antiques, including my new favorite piece of furniture, the cellarette.

That’s just a taste of all we have for you in this issue. I’m thrilled to join this fun party, and I’m so excited to see where it takes us next. Have a #marvelouslyMOD spring!

Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

CONTENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

Meet our new editor, and find out why she’s feeling #marvelouslyMOD about this spring issue!

�0

PERFECT HARMONY

A wine connoisseur couple turns to Knight Carr & Company to strike the right balance between old and new in their Greensboro home. We give you a guided tour.

DRIVING A LOVE OF THE GAME

After making the LPGA rounds, golfer Anne Marie Goslak has dedicated her life to helping others play the game she loves. Learn more about her coaching and foundation to help kids in need play golf.

30

�6 3 4

CHANNELING BRADSHAW

Whether you’re sipping bubbly or aged whiskey, you can do it in style with Bradshaw Orrell’s chic bar finds.

QUEER EYE FOR HIGH DESIGN

Celebrity interior designer Thom Filicia shares furniture design inspiration, style secrets and why he loves High Point.

CONTENTS

4 7

POINTS OF VIEW

Design expert Lisa Johnson shares some of her favorite hallmarks of timeless decor and design, from the classic wet bar to blue-and-white china.

CLOTHES WHISPERER

Maribeth Geraci encourages us to ditch the casual wear and rediscover the joy of dressing for occasions. Check out her guide to a more stylish spring.

5�

PERSONAL POLLI

From classic saddle oxfords to basket bows, Polliwogs Children’s Boutique has you covered this Easter. And Personal Polli offers tips for making this season stylish and fun for your little ones.

63

60 4 9

AN ARTISTIC JOURNEY

High Point artist Sabrina McGowens follows her artistic dreams and brings other local Black artists to the fore in her downtown gallery.

TRIAD’S FINEST TIPS

Thinking about selling your home in this hot real estate market?

Kristen Haynes of Triad’s Finest

Real Estate offers advice on what to think about before you list.

the

DRIVING a GAME LOVE

photography by lindley battle

of

Anne Marie Goslak’s first memory is of golf. While sitting on her father’s lap watching the Dinah Shore golf tournament, three-year-old Anne Marie turned to her dad and told him she wanted to be a golfer.

“And he said, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to be a ballerina?’” she explains. “And I said, ‘No, I want to play golf.’”

Not long after that fateful day, Anne Marie began practicing her putts, and it soon became clear to the adults around her that she had a natural aptitude for the sport.

“We didn’t have a lot of money — we came from a middle class family — so on my 8th birthday, my parents and grandparents pitched in and got me golf lessons,” Anne Marie says. But her family didn’t have the funds to pay for additional lessons. Anne Marie’s teacher — who recognized her talent — offered to continue tutoring her if she helped pick up range balls on weekends. That agreement continued for years, providing Anne Marie with the professional guidance she needed to develop her game.

As a teenager, Anne Marie qualified for a national tournament across the country in California. Due to the expense, she realized she wouldn’t be able to attend. With the help of a tour organizer and because Anne Marie’s parents took on extra work, she was able to travel to the competition. Her play at the tournament helped her land a golf scholarship to Wake Forest University.

Upon graduation, Anne Marie qualified for the LPGA’s developmental tour, the Futures Tour, on a level she likens to the “minor leagues.” She also played professional golf on the Central Florida Challenge Tour, Atlantic Coast Golf Tour and Golfer’s Developmental Tour. During her time playing professionally after graduating from Wake Forest in 1990, Anne Marie also made history as the only woman playing on the Atlantic Coast Golf Tournament for men. That experience prepared her for becoming a golf instructor.

“It was interesting because it allowed me to play with players who were better than me and could hit farther,” she says. “A lot of my mental game and the ability to teach my students to block out came from that experience — you can’t out drive a man, so it’s more about blocking them out and not looking at how much farther they can go past you.”

As a golf instructor at the Greensboro Country Club, that’s one of the skills Anne Marie emphasizes to her students. After more than a decade playing professionally on the tour circuit, Anne Marie followed her dream of teaching others to play the sport she loves.

“I love teaching,” she says. “Even as a teenager, the gentleman who taught me let me help teach the junior camps in the summertime, and he just fostered a sense of love for seeing people improve.”

Anne Marie teaches golfers of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to those looking to sharpen their game. She takes a hands-on approach, getting to know each client before the lesson begins, a process that helps her determine how best to help them grow as a player.

“The most important part of it is for us to sit down and chat and get a feel with where they are and where they want to be, and most importantly why they want to play golf,” she says. “The why creates the road map that helps me understand their vision, and if I understand their vision, then a plan falls into place. The weird thing about me is the minute I’ve got your goal, within about 2-3 swings, I know where you are, where you could be and all the steps in between.”

Anne Marie also founded a nonprofit through which she provides lessons to young people who cannot otherwise afford her tutorials. In the six years since she started the endeavor, every one of her students has earned a college golf scholarship. Her most recent grad is headed to Virginia Tech to play the sport.

This nonprofit allows Anne Marie to come full-circle, helping kids like herself with talent but not enough funding to move to the next level.

“I’m not a mom, but for lack of a better comparison, it feels like you give birth,” she says. “You carry these children around, and you nurture them and let them go, and it’s beautiful and painful — it’s a labor of love.”

And whether she’s helping a teenager who needs a way to pay for college with their golfing talent or assisting a someone who wants to play golf with their partner, Anne Marie says helping people find joy in the sport she loves fulfills her in a way even competing couldn’t.

“I truly believe that anyone who has the heart to play has the ability to play. All you need to do is take that want and mine it like a gem,” she says. “There’s not one swing I can give to you. You take away everything that’s not a feasible, repeatable motion for you, and what’s left is the golfer who has been there the whole time.”

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

PERFECT

“ We clicked over the love of traditional things that are classic and timeless, and modern things that are clean and refreshing.”

HARMONY

photography by aura marzouk

When an interior designer takes on a home project, one of the keys to making it a success is the relationship with the client. In the best scenario, the designer and client feel a connection, allowing them to work harmoniously to bring a shared vision to life.

That certainly was the case with designer Greg Hughes and the team of Knight Carr & Company and their recent clients, who tapped the firm to overhaul their Greensboro home. Greg says he felt an immediate kinship with the couple, who wanted a look for their abode that blended antique and vintage pieces with fresh, modern touches.

“They love to travel, they’re wine collectors, and they love to entertain,” he says. “We clicked over the love of traditional things that are classic and timeless, and modern things that are clean and refreshing. We always had a great rapport, and I love that they have a great respect for antiques. That’s rare for some younger people.”

The homeowners brought in builder Buck Nichols, owner of E.S. Nichols Builder, to reimagine the home’s layout and flow. Buck enclosed the second-floor level of the home’s entryway to add an additional closet upstairs and create a more formal foyer.

Greg took advantage of the lowered ceiling to hang a vintage-style chandelier from Hudson Valley Lighting. The fixture features a corrugated cast metal frame in an antique bronze finish surrounding an alabaster diffuser that gives the light a soft glow. The light complements a Louis 16th-style console and 19th-century French gilt mirror that flank one wall of the entry.

Buck also reconfigured the kitchen and dining room, moving a wall separating the two to enlarge the kitchen. Where a powder room once stood between the two rooms, Buck opened the space, creating a walkthrough butler pantry and dry bar. Greg and his team gave the bar a vintage flair by installing antique mirrored panels inside the shelving. In the dining room, a custom 72-inch round walnut dining table made by Indiana craftsman Keith Fritz serves as the centerpiece of the space. Greg selected antiques to complement the table including an English 19th-century Georgian sideboard and a Louis Phillipe-style gilded mirror with a soft Greek key pattern.

Tucked into two corners on the opposite wall, a pair of antique cellarettes speak to the couple’s love of wine collecting and their affinity for antiques.

“The cabinet doors are zinc-lined on the inside,” Greg says. “They’re for wine service — they keep your wine chilled. And on top of that, they’re beautiful, stunning pieces.”

Off the dining room, a sunny alcove proved ideal for a study. Greg carried the same sensibility from the dining room into the study, mixing in antique pieces, including a 19th-century regency chiffonier and a mahogany writing desk. The desk chair, while new, is an original design by furniture maker Guy Chaddock, reissued by Chaddock Furniture.

“It was an interesting space,” Greg says. “For a functioning use, we decided to turn it into a little study/library. Because it was open to the dining room, it needed a formality that worked with that space.”

Greg finished the study with a series of 16th-century engravings he fell in love with while sourcing in Philadelphia. The engravings served as another connection between the study and the dining room.

“They’re engravings of the drawings of intaglios of historic family crest designs,” he says. “There are a framed pair of true intaglios over the cellarettes in the dining room, and the drawings for them hang over the desk in the study.”

Those threads of continuity flow through the other rooms of the house, as well. The airy, spacious kitchen features a massive center island built by Buck, capped with an eye-catching fretwork design on each end that’s reflected in the custom stair rail in the hallway. Along with the island, the team added custom cabinetry for plenty of storage. Fixtures got an upgrade, too, with European-style Perrin & Rowe faucets and a sleek, industrial pendant light from Visual Comfort.

And because the couple collects wine and loves to entertain, the addition of a full-size wine refrigerator in the adjacent hallway was a must. That hallway also houses the relocated powder room, featuring faucets by Barber Wilsons & Co. of London, the oldest family-owned plumbing and fixture company in the United Kingdom.

The proximity of the powder room and wine fridge also enhances the vibe of the kitchen and sitting room area as a gathering space for not only the homeowners, but their family and friends, as well. Moving from the open kitchen to the attached sitting area, a plush couch and swivel chairs upholstered in a Greek key patterned fabric beckon. Two Hickory Chair Curtis chairs in a geometric textured fabric flank the fireplace, offering a stylish spot to get cozy.

The couple has a taste for art, so Greg added a painting by California artist Linda Donahue over the mantle. The piece, titled “Fallen Leaf Lake,” reflects the soothing neutral color palette of the room.

To accommodate the clients’ large television, Greg commissioned a custom entertainment center from Woodland Furniture, an Idaho company co-founded by an interior designer who wanted to make the furnishings sourcing process easier for designers.

Sourcing pieces for the home proved more challenging than expected during the project. Greg began working with the homeowners in late 2020, and work began in earnest in 2021. During that time, supply chain disruptions and raw material shortages began to impact the home furnishings industry. Greg experienced significant delays on some pieces they selected for the home. But, he says the homeowners trusted him enough to roll with the bumps in the road.

“I had a rug made overseas faster than I could have a sofa made in North Carolina,” he says. “The combination of the high demand for home products and COVID caused major delays from furnishings and decor companies. They’re working as hard as they can. Thankfully, the clients were so patient.”

Certainly the relaxed vibe of the primary bedroom helped the homeowners maintain their patience. The calming, neutral palette from the other rooms carries into the bedroom, setting the scene for relaxation.

“The whole look of the primary bedroom is plush and tranquil and somewhat reminiscent of a spa,” Greg explains.

A French carved bed from Guy Chaddock dominates the room, topped with Lee Jofa Chinese Lantern bedding, a subtle floral print that adds a touch of romance to the room. Large bedside tables from Hickory Chair complete the look and offer easily accessible storage via two drawers and an open compartment design that does double duty.

“Because of the scale and size, we wanted them to have an open feeling,” Greg says. “With the open design, they don’t have that weight, and they give a storage option.”

Greg and his team outfitted the en suite bathroom in carrara marble — including heated tile floors — with European-style fixtures. That Euro style carries through the home in the door hardware, with smaller scale lifetime brass knobs throughout.

“We wanted it to age and have the patina instead of the heavily lacquered, shiny brass, and the smaller scale, which is a lot more European style,” Greg says.

Though redesigning and making major renovations on a home in the midst of a pandemic proved challenging, Greg credits his team and everyone they worked with for making the project a smooth, enjoyable process.

“When you have an incredible builder like Buck Nichols and his team, everything was a breeze, and everything just came together,” Greg says. “And all of that happening during a pandemic — it was just a dream job working with such talented people.”

Greg notes the kinship he found with the homeowners made this project feel more like a fun, collaborative effort than a typical home redesign.

“I loved their respect for nice antiques and beautiful fabrics, and they were always so excited about the whole look coming together,” he says.

–

Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

Regarding the Home...

DESIGN TEAM: Knight Carr & Company

CONTRACTOR: E.S. Nichols Builder

Featured Home Photos

Cover Foyer

Pages 20-21 Living Room

Page 22 Study

Page 23 Living Room

Pages 24-25 Dining Room

Page 26 Cellarette (top)

Study (bottom)

Page 27 Kitchen

Page 28 Primary Bedroom

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Jennifer Bringle

Maribeth Geraci

Kristen Haynes

Lisa Johnson

Margaret White

COPY EDITOR

Jennifer Weaver-Spencer PHOTOGRAPHERS

Lindley Battle

Anna Danielle

Aura Marzouk

“Is everyone lit?”

CHANNELING BRADSHAW

Lighting is everything!

www.bradshaworrell.com

A circular banquette adds a bit of sculpture to a room and gives you a little more from the person sitting next to you.

When I use real materials like marble, they are rarely replaced.

–Auntie Mame

The Kensington Pendant is made by my dear friends at Urban Electric in Charleston, S.C.

I rarely find a Klismos chair that I don’t like.

Buy once or often? Leather with a little cocktail damage is old money.

Let this three-piece cocktail table and ottoman combination help you decide. Use a performance fabric in case your drink topples when you mistakenly place it on the ottoman portion of this trio.

A nice barrel-back chair offers great expressive armrest opportunities. This table by Century is classic, elegant and practically sexy.

“I find that some of my very best design work has been done on cocktail napkins. I thought it might be fun to share a new bar that we have in the works.”

BRADSHAW ORRELL

queer eyeHIGH DESIGN FOR

It has been nearly two decades since design guru Thom Filicia burst onto the national scene as a member of the original Fab Five on “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.” And while that may be the designer’s initial claim to fame, in the years since, he’s starred on several other shows, including “Dress My Nest” and “Get a Room with Carson and Thom,” the Bravo show that reunited him with former “Queer Eye” costar Carson Kressley.

But those in the interior design community also know Thom as a talented furnishings and accessories designer with lines for Vanguard Furniture, Feizy Rugs, Wendover Art Group and a yet-to-be announced lighting partnership.

A fixture of furniture shows from New York to Las Vegas and everywhere in between, Thom says the High Point Market (April 2-6, 2022) ranks at the top of his list for a number of reasons. We recently caught up with Thom to find out why High Point is so important to not only him, but also to the design industry in general. We also learned his thoughts on the design process and the evolution of home in a post-pandemic world.

Why is it important to you to take such a hands-on approach to the collections you design?

When people come to High Point and they bring a collection from a designer, it’s really important that there’s an authenticity to the designer, their point of view, their lifestyle and their brand. What would be really tragic would be to have all these licensed brands at High Point designed internally by the same people designing everything else — there wouldn’t be a big difference, and there wouldn’t be that personality. When you come into our space in the Vanguard showroom, for instance, there’s a distinctly different vibe, a different point of view, a different sensibility, and that’s what excites the designer market.

How have you seen home furnishings/interior design style shift in the wake of COVID? Home represents everything now, from learning or working to entertaining or watching movies — home has become everything at multiple levels. And what’s happened in terms of design is that it has to acclimate to that need and all the different things that happen in the home. Furniture has to be nonspecific — maybe even modular — and it has to go from dining to entertaining to working. We really expect a lot more from our homes, and people want their homes to be their sanctuary where they can recharge and feel safe.

Why is High Point so important to you and the design community? What’s wonderful about High Point is it’s where everybody lands — the design community as a whole comes to see what’s happening.

It’s that one-stop shop where you can see everything from case goods to upholstery to lighting to rugs to artwork to vintage — you get it all there. High Point is now becoming a place where people go to see what’s happening in design. It’s not just about finding product — it’s tapping into the pulse of the American design world.

You’re co-hosting the Sustainable Furnishings Council’s anniversary celebration during the spring High Point market. Why is that organization so important to you? What’s really important about sustainability is fundamentally, it’s really about health and wellness and being thoughtful about the world around us and trying to be a good citizen. It’s about making smart choices and being thoughtful about how those choices can affect the world around us in a positive way. We want to make sure the industry we’re in is part of that momentum and movement. Being on the right side of history is always nice.

As a design community, we should come together and appreciate the fact that the Sustainable Furnishing Council’s hard work really is going to make a difference, whether it’s recycling or having factories be thoughtful about their lighting, packaging, paint finishes — whatever those things are that different manufacturers lean into. Every one of those little things makes a big impact.

What’s one thing most people don’t know about you? I’m a single dog dad looking for a date!

– Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

THOM FILICIA

POINTS OF VIEW

DESIGN TRENDS THAT STAND THE TEST OF TIME

Tastes evolve, seasons change, children grow up, but certain design themes never go out of style. There are designs that remain constant, so I thought it might be helpful to discuss the hallmarks of timeless design.

Blue-and-White

Porcelain: Let’s begin with a favorite of many, blueand-white porcelain. This classic duo was developed in 14th century China and became a staple in Chinese porcelain design. It became even more popular in 17th-century Netherlands when Delft glazed earthenware was exported all over Europe. Today, it is used in everything from tableware and accessories to tilework.

Classic Wet Bar: The classic wet bar is my design labor of love. Originally, these built-in structures complete with sinks were designed to mix and serve beverages. For me, the wet bar is a crucial part of any home. It can be a jewel box behind closed doors or an armoire or bookshelf reinvented for this purpose. I love to mix colored glasses such as Estelle with crystal that has been passed down for generations.

Built-in Bookshelves: Built-in bookshelves are present in many homes and add classic Old World charm, even when done in a contemporary way. A room can be elevated with bookshelves when using well-chosen materials and finishes. Lacquering can add sophistication, while painting bookshelves the same color as the walls allows the books to take center stage.

Wallpaper: Wallpaper is back, or maybe it never fully went out of style. Beautiful designs, colors and panoramic scenes of exotic locations make for a conversation starter when entering a home. The possibilities wallpaper affords, with its variations in styles from realistic to more abstract, have helped it endure.

White Kitchens: White kitchens, including white walls, countertops and millwork, continue to define homes, both contemporary and traditional. White is always current and chic and allows for great hardware to add the perfect finishing touch. While white kitchens will always stand the test of time, they also allow homeowners to infuse their personalities into the space with beautiful dishes.

Art: Art is timeless, and gallery walls allow for a unique and very personal statement about who homeowners are and what they like. If put in a small space, art can create a sense of warmth and interest in a room. The most enduring aspect about art in a home is that it creates a sense of history, style and classicism.

When I’m asked how to add contemporary elements to a home and make them feel timeless, I simply say, leave classic pieces in place as an anchor to history and infuse personality with new touches!

– Lisa Johnson

Lisa Johnson & Company | Shop on Blair

CLOTHES WHISPERER

photography by aura marzouk

Civility and What I Wore is the title of a book I’d like to write about how we’ve arrived at a place where there aren’t many occasions where it matters how you show up. The dress-down pendulum has crashed out the window and landed at a very low bar, and the results quite frankly, are unfortunate.

Decorum and how we show up is hardly recognizable. Pajamas are a regular sight at the grocery store, on planes and in many other places where they aren’t meant to be.

We are living in a time where almost any item of clothing can be worn anywhere. Maybe it started when companies started casual Fridays. Now that has turned into hybrid workwear, and workers dress down every day of the week.

It’s not just work, though. Going out to dinner, to a cocktail party, a funeral, church — this new normal is anything but normal for someone in the fashion industry. As a fashion stylist who prides herself in showing people how to SHINE and show up, this is a nightmare!

My industry is back having fashion weeks and elaborate launches, and luxury sales are up double digits. Fashion companies and designers are over their brief pause, and they are forging ahead. I’m hoping this means the pendulum is swinging back to center with a more relaxed decorum perhaps, but still some decorum.

I still get excited about occasions, times where I can step up and get dressed up. I also like dressing up because it’s a show of respect and consideration for the occasion.

Who’s with me? Spring is around the corner, and there are occasions coming up — Easter, Passover, weddings and graduations. Let’s refresh and renew — it’s what the season calls us to do.

Take a look at fashion’s spring 2022 playbook, and wear bright colors or white head to toe. Mix some prints — maybe stripes with dots. Wear a relaxed suit just because, and consider a blazer too, and pair it all with your favorite kicks (sneakers). Put on a feminine dress, update your shoes and think platforms again. This spring has plenty to offer for occasions, even if that occasion is just for you. And I’m excited and hopeful for our civility comeback.

– Maribeth Geraci, DressCode Style www.dresscodestyle.us

personal

Personal Polli is here to help you and your child find the perfect outfit...coordinating for family photos, special occasions, or just simply everyday wear. Looking for an adorable baby gift or birthday present? Polli can help via text, email or Instagram. This is a free service provided by Polliwogs Children’s Boutique!

336.455.2794 | personalpolli@polliwogs.com | personal_polli

Dress up your Easter basket with the Embroidered Easter Basket Bow. Available in pink, blue, yellow seersucker and floral.

Final touches! King Embroidered Easter Bow Basket.

Hippity Hop the cutest Easter dress by Proper Peony. (Also available in a little boys Jon Jon $74)

Perfect for spring Bailey Boys Darcy Windowpane Float Dress in a beautiful periwinkle and green plaid.

A must have for you and your friends! Dock and Bay 100% recyclable quick-dry towels.

A classic Saddle Oxford by Footmates in white and light blue.

The perfect gift! Blessing Beads in pink, white or blue.

Protect those little faces with the Ruffle Butts UPF 50+ protection white sun protective hat.

We love our Warmies! Relax with your favorite lavender scented Warmie.

Dr. Christopher Durham

Journey An Artist ic

Growing up in High Point, art and design were always a part of Sabrina McGowens’ life. The daughter of a furniture upholsterer and an elementary school teacher who dabbled in art, Sabrina developed an early appreciation for artistic endeavors, including painting and furniture making.

“I started off with portraits when I was eight — that was my thing,” she says. “I went from graphite to colored pencils to chalk pastels.”

After enrolling as a pre-med student at UNC-Chapel Hill, it seemed Sabrina would follow a different path. Still, she couldn’t leave art behind completely. She signed up for a twodimensional art class, a move that would change her educational and career trajectory.

“One of my professors looked at me and said, ‘What are you doing? You need to be doing this,’” she says. “And I changed my major. It was cool because the science classes weren’t really me, and when I got into art classes, it just felt right.”

Sabrina fell in love with printmaking — she’s a classically trained printmaker — and she also painted, mostly portraits and some landscapes. She also has done extensive figure studies.

In the years since graduating from college, Sabrina pursued a career in commercial graphic design and marketing. She worked in a number of corporate

roles before deciding to take the plunge and follow her passion for fine art by opening a gallery. She opened her first gallery in downtown High Point in 2018. In early 2020, she made the move to Gallery on Main, where she manages a space featuring her own art, Sabrina’s, as well as a gallery she co-runs with another artist dedicated to featuring the work of Black artists.

Sabrina’s new gallery was open for two weeks. Then COVID hit. Suddenly, she had to figure out how to make this new venture work, even with the doors closed.

“I quit my job to open this gallery. I was making good money there, and so it was a challenge. I had to reevaluate how I’m presenting my art and come up with other ways to make a living off of it,” she says. “The website became more important, and I started doing virtual classes and virtual painting parties.”

Eventually, Sabrina reopened her gallery, and she began to find her groove as both a full-time business owner and an artist.

“We flex and we shift because of where we’re located. Downtown High Point is basically a ghost town the majority of the year, so we knew that we’d have to generate our own traffic throughout the year,” she says.

The gallery hosts regular events such as classes and receptions, pop-up shows and even live art demonstrations. Sabrina loves to take her supplies outside the gallery to paint in front of the building on

photography by anna danielle

“ We’re happy to provide the space for people who might not have a chance to show in a space like this.”

EXPERIENCE AWARD WINNING RESULTS & A QUENCH REVOLUTION!

nice days. She also has been in talks with the folks from High Point by Design (HPxD), a collective of furniture showrooms, interior designers and other city leaders to boost year-round designer traffic to the city.

Working with designers and furniture market buyers has also become a big part of Sabrina’s business.

“We shift a little bit during markets to cater to interior designers and furniture designers,” she says. “We start talking commercialization and multiples and series, and we also do a lot of commission work with designers.”

While Sabrina shows her own work in the gallery, creating a place for other Black artists to bring their art to a larger audience has been important. She recently partnered with an artists’ collective in Charlotte to bring work from other Black artists from that area, as well as South Carolina, Georgia and Virginia, to the gallery.

“We showcase a lot of minority artists,” she says. “We’re happy to provide the space for people who might not have a chance to show in a space like this.”

Sabrina also wants to provide space for artists and art lovers alike to gather, meet and enjoy the growing creative scene in downtown High Point.

“One of the things that’s really important to us here is providing a creative space where people can come and be inspired and sit back and hang out,” she says. “It’s great when people buy art, but we’re a little different from a traditional gallery. We want you to sit back with a glass of wine and walk around with your friends and enjoy the art.”

And as Sabrina reflects on her meandering journey to pursuing art full-time and owning her own gallery, she knows that every detour and challenge along the way prepared her for this moment.

“It took me a long time to get here,” she says. “I stepped away from art and came back, stepped away again and came back. It was a cycle. I have four girls, and I told myself, ‘You can’t give up, you have to keep going because quitting is not an option.’”

For more information, visit www.galleryonmainHP.com – Jennifer Bringle, editor-in-chief

Bliss

TRIAD’S FINEST TIPS

If you’re planning to sell this year, you’re probably thinking about what you’ll need to do to get your house ready. Consider these things when deciding what to renovate and update before listing in this current market.

Housing inventory is currently at an all-time low. Because there’s such a limited supply of homes for sale, you’re in a unique position to benefit from multiple offers, ideal terms to choose from and an easy process. You want to sell while buyers are still scooping homes up as fast as they’re being listed and before the interest rates increase. In this market, spending time and money on renovations before you sell could mean you’ll miss your key window of opportunity. Of course, certain repairs may be important or even necessary. The best way to determine where to spend your time and your money is to work with a real estate advisor to confirm which improvements are truly needed and which ones aren’t likely to be deal-breakers.

Buyers are willing to tackle repairs on their own in this market, and it may be wise to let the future homeowners remodel the bathroom or the kitchen to suit their specific taste and lifestyle. Unnecessary renovations in this market could mean throwing away good money.

Lastly, work with your agent to create a detailed listing of all renovations and upgrades that you have done to the house over recent years to use in your marketing. These changes mean more to buyers in this market than it has in the past. Buyers will be pleased, more than you know, to hear about all the things you have done to your house, even as minor as a hot water heater replacement.

It will be interesting to see what happens to the market with increasing values paired with increasing interest rates. Reduced affordability is going to be an issue for many buyers. In a sellers’ market like today’s, it’s important to spend your time and money wisely when you’re getting ready to move. Give me a call today to discuss where to target your efforts before you list!

For more information: www.triadsfinest.com or 336-209-3382

– Kristen Haynes, Triad’s Finest

LB Cultive Co is a comprehensive brand agency for the stylish small business. O ering brand photography, social media management, brand strategy, and so much more, we’re here to help your business stand out.

Ashley M Pritchett

Financial Advisor

Ashley M. Pritchett

Financial Advisor

1208 Eastchester Dr Suite 132 High Point, NC 27265-3103 336-886-7942

336-803-4823

ashley.pritchett@edwardjones.com 3750 Admiral Drive, Suite 103 High Point, NC 27265 MKT-5894M-A