A local artist has proven herself quite successful after being rejected by the local creative arts guild.

Calhoun resident and Cleveland businesswoman Toneeke Henderson, sculpts, paints and takes photographs many of which have won awards in Georgia as well as Tennessee. In 1992 she was ordered by the Standards Committee to remove her work from the Cleveland Creative Arts Guild's exhibit because they said they found it unsuitable for their clientele. Despite the local guilds appraisal, Henderson's work has been attracting interest from other artistic groups including the Dalton Creative Arts Guild where she has just had one of her creations accepted for an exhibition being held there.

The exhibition is open through September 21st. She is also showing 25

photographic entries in a competition at the Mid East Tennessee Regional Fair, September 1st through 6th. Henderson has already won several awards including the Citizens National Bank Award in the Athens Community Artist's League Competition, The Crafts award in the Etowah Commission Competition, the Sculpture award in the Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration at the L & N Depot in Etowah and others.

She has held a one woman exhibition of paintings, photographs and relief sculpture at the Cleveland State Community College sponsored by the Art Department and the Cultural & Educational Enrichment Committee. Henderson is also a member of the community artist league in Athens, the Association of Visual Artists in Chattanooga, the Community Artists League in Dalton Georgia, The Tennessee Water Color Society and the Tennessee Photographic Association.

The Cleveland Creative Arts Guild's mission is to promote local artists but Henderson, who is one of the area's most talented, seems to have fallen through the cracks.

Ironically, Henderson operates Toneeke's Mystical Garden,  a curio shop and studio just a few blocks from the guild headquarters on Inman Street but is not included in the guild's artistic community. It is the aim of Mainstreet Cleveland to revitalize the Five Points area and promote its exiting resources yet Henderson and her work have been excluded.