On April 18, six Art Central Gallery co-owners will host the 2009 Art Studio Tour to benefit Meals on Wheels of Summerville. The artists will open their homes to the community from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. to let the public get a peak at how they work and their lifestyles.
Tickets for the event are now on sale for $10 and the gallery hopes to sell at least 100 tickets, which would raise enough money for Meals on Wheels to provide meals to someone for one full year.
Each weekday, Meals on Wheels delivers meals to approximately 175 people throughout Summerville, Sangaree, Lincolnville, Givhans and North Charleston.
Because Meals on Wheels does not receive government funding, financial support from the community and local businesses and organizations is critical, said Betsy Luke, Summerville Meals on Wheels executive director.
Luke says that although individuals have continued to contribute to Meals on Wheels despite the struggling economy, grants from corporations have dwindled, which makes community donations that much more important.
“We get 50 percent of our support from individuals in the community so it’s always encouraging when people in the community realize what we’re doing and step forward to help us,” Luke said.
The tour will provide people with the opportunity to observe the artists at work and to see both in-progress and finished artwork. In addition, Jill Carway, a potter from Silver Pail Pottery – one of Art Central’s featured consignment artists – will open her studio and have a raku firing at 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Last year, Summerville Meals on Wheels prepared and delivered more than 43,000 meals to residents who were unable to prepare food for themselves.
Tickets can be purchased directly from Art Central Gallery (871-0297) or the day of the tour at one of the participating studios. People may visit the studios in any order they choose and each studio will have light refreshments.

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com