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Portrait of anarts lover PORTFOLIO Accents By Mysti Koontz The tree-lined brick walkways of downtown Fayetteville invite passersby to slow down and savor the landscape. The Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County, with its bold red door, draws the eye and beckons you inside. Visitors will find Calvin Mims, art services coordinator, spreading his contagious enthusiasm with a quick smile and firm handshake. Mims is everything from exhibit curator to community liaison, building rapport between art connoisseurs and local artists. Newcomers might be surprised to learn that Mims, a Detroit native, received his formal education at GMI Engineering & Management Institute as a systems network engineer. After several years in this field, he was burned out and unsatisfied; Mims yearned for more artistic expression in his life. So he made the gutsy choice to resign his position and plunge headfirst into the Detroit art scene. Mims stumbled upon our community while visiting a friend six years ago. He was immediately impressed by the creative depth of the community and excited by the number of quality artists in the region. Mims was intrigued by the range of diversity in the population and how that multiplicity was embraced and celebrated. While visiting downtown’s Fourth Friday event he realized he had found a unique place to connect with the art-minded. Mims was sold when he saw the combination of reasonable living expenses, moderate climate and the central location to several major cities. He decided to escape the northern winters of Michigan and retire to Fayetteville. Once here, Mims plugged into the downtown arts scene thinking to develop a like- minded social network. His enthusiasm for the imaginative soon endeared him to the owner of a local gallery who asked if Mims would come out of retirement to direct the exhibit. He agreed, and soon Mims was on a path that led him to the council and his current work with the arts. Mims believes that sharing art with the community is the most rewarding position he could have. He doesn’t view it as a job but as an opportunity to share his passion for the creative with another generation. Contact me for more information on how custom aligners can gradually move your teeth into a beautiful smile! Bring Your Best Smile Forward H. Zack Smith, DDS, MS, PA www.bracesbyzack.com 573 Executive Place Fayetteville, NC 28305 910.323.5821 www.FayettevilleNCChamber.org | 17

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