Sandhills Community College's Hastings Gallery will host an art exhibit from mid-June to mid-August.

Local artists Laine Lea and Paula Womack, along with a local business, Fireshadow Gallery, will be featured. A reception will be held Thursday, June 18, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. This event is the introduction to the exhibit, which runs through Aug. 18.

"I am most looking forward to showing our work to the public," says Lea.

Approximately 40 pieces of Lea and Womack's watercolor and oil artwork will be on display. Womack will also have several pieces of mixed media artwork displayed. Fireshadow Gallery will show approximately 20 pieces of their pottery.

An art graduate of East Carolina University, Lea taught art and photography in private and public schools in Alabama and North Carolina. In addition to teaching, Lea also did commissions and freelance art work. Lea has also worked in the commercial arena of art, and worked doing research for Crayola Crayon, and was an art director for NBC television.

Paula Womack had always wanted to be a painter. It was not until she was in her 40s that she seriously pursued her dream. Womack has taken art classes at Sandhills, several under art professor Denise Baker.

"Denise asked us to do a show about a year ago," says Womack. "Laine and I have been working on new material since then."

Mo McKenzie and Sally Larson are the owners of Fireshadow Gallery, located in Eagle Springs. Larson is also a previous student of Denise Baker. McKenzie and Larson opened their gallery, outside of Seagrove, 11 years ago.

"Our pottery is creative," says Larson. "We make one of a kind pieces. We wake up with ideas. When someone buys a piece of our pottery, we never create anything just like it."

All artists are excited about the opportunity to show their art at Sandhills.

"This is a great opportunity for us to give back to Sandhills," says Womack. "It also allows us a way to show our artwork and sell pieces."

Hastings Gallery, on the campus of Sandhills Community College, is located in Katharine L. Boyd Library.

The art exhibit will be open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Emily Oldham, a student at Campbell University, is an intern at The Pilot. Contact her at 693-2482.