First time Art Walk vendor turns castaway books into art

March 7, 2022

A few months ago, LeAnn Ashley stared in silence at the mounds of books on her dining room table in Harrisburg and asked no one in particular, “What are we going to do with all of these books?”

When her daughter’s school had planned a book sale, LeAnn had volunteered her dining room to serve as a book storage site that quickly grew to rival any small branch library’s book collection.

Then the fundraiser book sale was shelved.

But that’s not the end of the story. When the book sale folded, LeAnn decided to fold too. The books.

Into hearts, tulips, horses and different words.

Now, she’s making her origami books available to the public during the Cabarrus Arts Council’s Art Walk on Union on April 2.

Art Walk on Union is an all-day arts festival for artists and makers to sell their handmade artwork. An extension of our past art walks, Art Walk on Union features live music, food trucks, local brews & wines, plus participation from local galleries and numerous shops and restaurants throughout downtown Concord. The day is sponsored by the City of Concord and WastePro.

It’s LeAnn’s first time as a vendor, but she won’t be alone. We’re expecting close to 80 artists and makers (first-timers and second- and third-timers) at the next Art Walk on Union - an event that’s continuing to grow by leaps and bounds with each new date.

Interested in becoming a vendor?
What: Art Walk on Union
When: Saturday, April 2, 2022, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: Union Street in downtown Concord
How: Register by March 18th at https://bit.ly/3MeRucL
Cost: $50