Bene?t show held by UNC graduate

Adrian Schlesinger curated and coordinated two art shows before she graduated from UNC in May.

Her third show, held last week at Carrack Modern Art Gallery in Durham, benefited Church World Service — an organization that partners with religious groups to serve refugee and immigrant communities.

The show, “Home is in You,” featured artwork from recent UNC graduates Laura Melosh and Katie Frohbose. Wilmington-based artist Wendy Kowalski provided paintings from her new collection for the show as well.

Schlesinger said her former UNC communications professor Nadia Dawisha, who now works for Church World Service, asked her to organize the benefit show.

“It turns out June is International Refugee Awareness Month, so I think that scheduling the show now brings more awareness,” Schlesinger said at the opening reception on last week.

Schlesinger said in an email that nine works of art were sold at the show.

Schlesinger’s past shows occurred at the Carrack in 2011. Her first show was a fundraising show for the gallery when it first opened last summer.

Laura Ritchie, a recent UNC graduate, co-founded the Carrack in June 2011. She co-directs the gallery with John Wendelbo.

Ritchie said the Carrack is a zero-commission gallery, meaning all art sales go directly to the artist.

“The idea is that the artist takes over the space,” Ritchie said. “It’s a great place to overlap the social and the arts.”

Rodney Derrick lives in Durham and said he goes to the Carrack gallery almost every week.

“The space adds a lot of dynamism to downtown Durham,” he said. “It’s like an incubator for young artists’ work.”

Contact the Arts Editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.