Carrboro

Chatham Artists Guild Open Studio Tour – Center Gallery at The ArtsCenter, through Dec 18. All 52 artists on the tour are represented in this exhibit. 300-G E Main St, Carrboro. 929-2787, www.artscenterlive.org

Paitings by Stephanie Smith – Family rendering acrylic paintings. Through Dec 23, East End Gallery at The ArtsCenter. Artist’s reception: Fri, Dec 14, 6-9pm. 300-G E Main St, Carrboro. 929-2787, www.artscenterlive.org

Paintings by Peg Bachenheimer and Catherine Carter – Through December at Provence Restaurant, 203 W Weaver St, Carrboro. www.pegbachenheimer.com 

Chinese Red Glazed Pottery by Ben Owen III - Through Dec 31. NC Crafts Gallery, 212 W Main St, Carrboro, 942-4048, www.nccraftsgallery.com, Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 1-4pm.

Super Awesome Holiday Family Show – Bright, starry, and really special! Dec 14-Jan 7 at Wootini, 200 N Greensboro St, Carr Mill Mall, Carrboro. Opening reception: Fri, Dec 14, 7-11pm.

Works on Paper by John Ensslin – Through Jan 12 at Acme Food & Beverage Co, 110 E Main St, Carrboro. 929-ACME, www.acmecarrboro.com

Water: Our Most Precious Resource – Numerous works on display by a variety of artists, all with the theme of the beauty of water. Through Jan 15 at the Carrboro Branch Library, 900 Old Fayetteville Rd, Chapel Hill (McDougle Schools Media Center). Mon-Thu 3:30-8pm, Sat 10am-2pm, Sun 1-5pm.

Works by Sondra Dorn - Dec 14-Jan 30. Nested, 118-B E Main St, Carrboro, 338-8023, www.nestedhome.com, Tue & Wed 10am-6pm, Thu-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun noon-6pm. Artist’s reception: Fri, Dec 14, 6-9pm.

The Conversation – New paintings by Steven Silverleaf. Through Feb 4, 2008 at Panzanella. Public reception: Mon, Jan 21, 5:30-7:30pm. Corner of Greensboro & Weaver Streets, Carrboro. 929-6626, www.panzanella.coop

Chapel Hill

Horses, Horses, Horses - Horse art by Ruffin Hobbs, Ned Moulton, Maeve Harris, Marta Wiley, Wayne Salge & Nancy Jacobsohn. Through Dec 24. Turning Point Gallery, University Mall, 201 S Estes Dr, Chapel Hill, 967-0402, www.harmonyfineart.com, Mon-Sat 10am-7pm (Fri 9pm), Sun noon-5pm.

2nd Friday Art Walk – Various Chapel Hill/Carrboro galleries, live music, food, and art-related fun. For a listing of venues and times, visit www.2ndfridayartwalk.com. 2nd Fridays, 6-9pm, free!

Making the Grass Greener - Works by Jenifer Padilla. Fri, Dec 14, 6-10pm. Archer Graphics, 206 E Main St, Chapel Hill. 929-7522, www.archergraphics.net

Form & Function with Wood - Woodworking by Doug Trimble. Dec 13-16. Bean & Barrel, 50100 Governors Dr, Chapel Hill, 967-9990.

Palate & Palette - Oil paintings by Mary Stone Lamb. Through Dec 23. Horace Williams House, 610 E Rosemary St, Chapel Hill, 942-7818, www.chapelhillpreservation.com, Tue-Fri 10am-4pm, Sun 1-4pm.

Paintings by Judy Bauman – Through Dec 31. Market Street Books, Southern Village, 610 Market St, Chapel Hill, 933-5111, www.marketstreetbooks.com, Mon-Sat 10am-8pm, Sun 1-7pm.

Shrines - Works by Charron Andrews. Through Dec 31. Women’s Health Information Center, NC Women’s Hospital, 101 Manning Dr, Chapel Hill, 843-1759, www.nchealthywoman.org, Mon-Fri 9am-5pm & by appt.

Landscapes of the Mind - Paintings by Lynne Clarke. Through Dec 31. Jennings & Company, 104-A N Elliot Rd, Chapel Hill.

The Art of Lookng - Selections from the collection of Charles Millard. Through Dec 30. Ackland Art Museum, 101 S Columbia St, UNC Campus, Chapel Hill, Office 966-5736, recorded info 843-1611, www.ackland.org, Wed-Sat 10am-5pm (2nd Fridays 9pm), Sun 1-5pm. Free.

Holiday Animation Art: Cels & Drawings from Classic Holiday Animation Features - Dec 14-31. Animation and Fine Art Galleries, University Mall, 201 S Estes Dr, Chapel Hill, 968-8008, www.animationandfineart.com, Tue-Sat 10am-6pm. Reception: Fri, Dec 14, 6-9pm.

A Closer Look – Portraits of nature’s details by Maryann Roper and Jean LeCluyse. On display through Dec in the Totten Center, NC Botanical Garden. http://ncbg.unc.edu, 962-0522

Holiday Exhibition - 100s of works by the Gallery’s artists, including handmade ornaments, plus gold & precious stone jewelry by Barbara Heinrich. Through Jan 5, 2008. Somerhill Gallery, 1800 E Franklin St, 3 Eastgate, Chapel Hill, 968-8868, www.somerhill.com, Mon-Sat 10am-5:30pm, evenings by appt.

Works by Jaquelin Perry, Sam Shelby & Lizzie Newton - Ongoing. Bloom Where You Are Planted, 708 Market St, Southern Village, Chapel Hill. 942-9880, www.BloomNC.com

Hillsborough

The Festive Season – New work in a variety of media by the Hillsborough Gallery of Arts’ member artists. On display through Jan 20. 121-D N Churton St, Hillsborough. 732-5001, www.hillsboroughgallery.com

Cooperative gallery created & owned by local artists - Featuring original painting, photography, clay, sculpture, fabric, wood, glass, jewelry & other traditional & contemporary fine arts & crafts. Ongoing. Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, 121-D N Churton St, Hillsborough. Mon-Sat 10am-5pm. 732-5001, www.HillsboroughGallery.com

Oil Paintings & Jewelry by David Sovero – Simplistic geometric forms with layers of rich color. Handmade jewelry. Ongoing. Sovero Art Gallery & Studio, 121 N Churton St, Hillsborough. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm. 732-3056, www.soveroart.com

Pittsboro

Calligraphy: The Art of Writing - Through Dec 31. Pittsboro Memorial Library, 158 West St, Pittsboro, 542-3524, www.pittsborolibraryfriends.org, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm (Tue 8pm), Sat 9am-5pm.

Winter Wonderland - Works by various artists including Leslie Fesperman. Through Dec 31. Fusions Art & Fine Craft Gallery, 53 Hillsboro St, Pittsboro, 260-9725, www.pittsboroshops.com/fusions.htm, Wed-Fri 10:30am-5:30pm, Sat 10am-4pm, 1st Sundays 1-4pm.

Cake – A photographic retrospective of 10 years of wedding cakes. Through Dec 31. Missy McLamb Gallery, 2000 Fearrington Village Center, Pittsboro, 755-1117, Mon- Sat 10am-5pm.

Nature Reflected in the Artist’s Eye – Six visions of our local environment by Chatham Artists members. At Carolina Brewery in Pittsboro on 15/501 through Jan 31.