Since the beginning, art has been an important element of the atmosphere at Crook’s Corner.  The dining room is a gallery that features local artists--upcoming and well-known alike.  “We began having two month shows when we took over from Cam in 1982, but because of the large number of requests for exhibits, we now change the art every month," Gene Hamer said. "We're fortunate to have a very talented community of local artists and artisans to choose from.  With every exhibit the dining room and bar take on a whole new look and feel."  Price lists for each art
exhibit can be found at the bar, and Crook’s does not charge a commission.  We ask our artists to be sensitive to the fact that we are a restaurant and not to exhibit works depicting violent, pornographic, political or grotesque material; otherwise the content is totally up to the artist. On the Patio, the water fountain sculpted by Bob Gaston (who also created the Pink Pig) drowns away the sounds of a bustling Franklin Street.  Originally, a herd of wooden critters by local folk artist Clyde Jones convened upon the rooftop, but with the years they decomposed and are gone.  A few of Clyde’s critters still hide amongst the patio's bamboo, as well as a multicolored dog near the front door.  One critter, Pink Elephant, is a permanent resident at the end of the bar and was given to Gene by Clyde's Mother.

 

 

 
 
 
2012
  
January
Zannie Gunn
February
Louis St. Lewis
March
Callie Warner
April
Jardine & Worthington
May
Carroll Lassiter
June
Craig Gurganus
July
Lisa Jo Tuchek
August
Chad Hughes
September
Vieni Pawloski
October
Ippy Patterson
November
Bruce Mitchell
December
Mark Elliott
2013
January
Elaine O'Neil
February
Louis St. Lewis
March
Paul Hrusovsky
April
Matt Tomko
May
Jimmy Craig Womble
June
Mac Hill
July
Roger Kellison
August
Green Daniel
September
Barbi Dalton
October
Denise Landi
November
Lori White
December
2014
January
Julia Christy
February
  
March
Lisa Tuchek
April
St. George
May
Mark Elliott
June
  
July
 
August
  
September
Kiffney/Brown
October
  
November
  
December
  
 

 

 
 
 
World Wide Deb's a.k.a. Debbie Cox art appears nightly in the women's room at Crook's Corner.  "Themes revolve around 'accidental' tourists, dogs, fish, birds and weather. Subjects often seem to be frozen in an off-beat moment in time," said Cox, "Hopefully the element of humor will be found somewhere." EXHIBITED EACH DECEMBER: Mark Elliott, who crafted the light sconces in the dining room, exhibits a show to look forward to each year. The U.N.C. Chapel Hill graduate returned after traveling to Germany, Italy, Greece and New York to build with his father the hydraulic crane essential to his large-scale steel structures. For Crooks, he shows more intimate works such as prints made at YeeHaw Studios or the wooden sculptures he's photographed with here: "Blanche" and "Rouge." CRITTERS: The wood sculptures scattered throughout the patio and in the bar area are by Clyde Jones from nearby Bynum. Most people, who are interested in folk art, know he's not known to sell his art but will when he has shows at Crook's. Check out Clyde here.
 

 
"About Time" @ Crook's Corner, June 2006.  Contact: a3girlshome@yahoo.com