Fall marks the beginning of a noteworthy new year at Charlotte Art League (CAL). As one of Charlotte’s oldest art groups, Charlotte Art League has been around for about 40 years. It used to be the only place to see or experience art in the Camden Road area. However, in recent years, Charlotte Art League and the “South End” area it calls home are seeing growth of businesses and residential buildings, as well as the artistic and funky sectors.

If you’ve paid attention, Charlotte Art League has been getting a facelift to its long-occupied building on Camden Road. There is a permanent mosaic mural (created with the community) on the building front, as well as a new large, bold mural — you can’t miss — along the parking lot side by Charlotte Art League member Carlleena Person. The interior has also experienced its own transformation, including air conditioning and front gallery space being opened up and painted.

Upon walking in, you can’t miss the “Buy Local Art” invitation surrounded by paintings. When you buy local art and support Charlotte Art League, you are investing in an organization that probably gives more than it takes from this neighborhood.

Charlotte Art League still has the laidback, “all are welcome” feel. Yet, with the hard work of a core group of local artist members, it now leaves us with a more professional impression. Charlotte Art League is a non-profit visual arts organization offering a unique mix of open working studios, classes and community outreach programs, along with a public gallery.

Charlotte Art League does an excellent job of reaching out to the community through its education program and diverse offerings, including group meetings and art lectures, most of which are free. New gallery exhibits are scheduled every month, with each show’s opening reception held during the South End Gallery Crawl the first Friday.

October’s exhibit, “Art Beyond Sight,” is an annual event held in conjunction with more than 200 other venues worldwide to celebrate “Art Beyond Sight Awareness Month.” Artists both sighted and visually impaired are invited to create tactile and multisensory works of art expressly, so people who are blind and visually impaired can actively explore them.

The November exhibit, “The Power of Innovation: Art Inside the New Energy Age,” is sponsored by Siemens Energy, Inc. This juried show is an exciting public/private partnership of a local non-profit gallery and a well-known energy company, which includes a $10,000 grand prize purchase award.

There is an ongoing life drawing session on Saturday mornings (with a small fee for the model), and a new “Let’s talk about our art” free series with Jim Antley each Monday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. As with all of Charlotte Art League’s programs, all are welcome, even if you are not a member.

This year’s roster of presenters for Charlotte Art League’s regular third Tuesday meetings is a diverse array of local artists and entrepreneurs. The new year began Sept. 20 with Phillip Larrimore’s unusual presentation investigating the connection between poetry and American art. The idea of “assemblage” in art is very common today, but in the early 20th century, collage and assemblage were new and innovative techniques. Larrimore illuminated influences between poet Marianne Moore and artist Joseph Cornell, as well as later artists influenced by Cornell.

When asked about viewing difficult works of art, Larrimore wisely suggested, “Find a doorway into a piece of art or music. Start with what you love.” I would encourage you to walk through Charlotte Art League’s door to experience some of its new year’s programming and buy some local art.

Charlotte Art League is supported, in part, by the Arts & Science Council, a Knight Arts grantee.

Charlotte Art League 1517 Camden Road, Charlotte 704-376-2787 Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.to 5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.