Mint Museum's art shop celebrates 50th anniversary
Posted: Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008

The Mint Museum of Art Shop, 2730 Randolph Road, is celebrating its 50th anniversary as Charlotte's oldest museum store.  Established in 1958, the shop features merchandise related to its collection and exhibitions, including pottery, art books and prints, jewelry, stationery and Romare Bearden artifacts.  According to store managers, bestsellers include the Queen Charlotte ornaments and ceramic egg separators from Seagrove.  For the holidays, the shop is featuring Andy Warhol and pop-art merchandise, including Christmas cards, kitchenware, prints and other home items decorated with Warhol's designs.  Money raised at the shop helps fund the museum's exhibitions and programs.  Holiday shoppers seeking pottery, glass, fiber and wood gifts can visit the museum's Craft + Design Shop, which opened in 1999.  That shop, at 220 N. Tryon St., specializes in crafts of Carolinas' artists. Find details at www.mint museum.org.

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Upscale clothing boutique Michael Kors recently opened at SouthPark mall, the store's first location in North Carolina.  The store of nearly 2,000 square feet is located in the Nordstrom wing and features a range of accessories, clothing and fragrances.  Kors is a leading fashion designer focusing on luxury “jet-setting” accessories and sportswear. The store replaced Sigrid Olsen.  The Charlotte opening is the 33rd location for the New York-based retailer.

Michael Kors also recently opened stores in Chicago and Palo Alto, Calif.  “Retail is obviously an important component for our overall growth strategy, and we intend to increase the number of free-standing stores in key global markets over the next few years,” chief executive John Idol said in a news release.  “Charlotte is another step in realizing this goal.”

Also at SouthPark, a parade and Hanukkah menorah lighting ceremony is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 21. The event will be held /near the Tiffany and Burberry stores inside the mall's Circle Court.

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NoDa's Green Rice Gallery, 451 E. 36th St., is now accepting signups for a figure-drawing group it will begin hosting on Tuesday nights, starting in January.

The group is not a class but a drawing session in which students, amateurs and professional artists interested in figure drawing can practice.

The $12 sessions ($7 for students) will be held 6:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Jan. 6. Participants are asked to bring their own easel or drawing board and plenty of paper. Details: 704-344-0300