Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County Celebrates Mail Art from Around the World with “Celebration of Sapphire”

Fayetteville, NC - The Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County is proud to announce the opening of its latest exhibit, Celebration of Sapphire: Mail Art from Around the World, curated by Penny Weaver and Michelle Davis Petelinz. On display from September 4th through October 25th, this exhibit celebrates the boundless creativity found around the world via mail art, a movement that values exchange, creative freedom, and correspondents worldwide. 

The project was originally conceived by Weaver and Davis Petelinz as a creative way to mark the fifth anniversary of Your Creative Connections’ annual oceanfront retreat, Seaside Sessions. The curators issued an open call for art and supported prospective artists with Tips on Tuesdays—a bi-weekly tutorial series sharing technique ideas ranging from handmade paper creation to collage styling. The call yielded 107 original mail art pieces spanning 15 U.S. states and 20 countries. The exhibition expanded further through a collaboration with Japanese Mail Art luminary, Ryosuke Cohen, and his long-running BrainCell Series, bringing in work from an additional 96 artists.

“The work on display in this exhibit represents the contribution of 213 artists from 21 US states and 26 countries around the globe,” explains co-curator Penny Weaver. “We are grateful to the artists, who range in age from 3 to 82 for helping us to joyfully celebrate the milestone fifth anniversary of Your Creative Connection." 

Your Creative Connection is a unique mixed media art experience designed by women for women. Co-owned by Weaver and Davis Petelinz, the organization hosts creative events aimed at nurturing artistic expression among women.

Join the Arts Council in celebrating the opening of this exhibit on Friday, September 4th at the Art Center.

The event is free and open to the public.

Celebration of Sapphire: Mail Art from Around the World Opening Reception

Date:  September 4, 2026

Time:  6-8PM

Location:  301 Hay Street

Admission:  Free & open to the public

For regular updates on the Arts Council, follow this organization on Facebook (@ArtsCouncilFay) or Instagram (@artscouncilfay).

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