The Cary Gallery of Artists features "Mother Nature's Dress" through August. The exhibit includes a collection of paintings from Kristen Stamper; "Silver, Crystal & Lace," a watercolor series from Elda Hiser; "From the Fire into the Sandbox," an assortment of glass pieces from Jean Cheely; and the oil and acrylics of Kala Tharp.

The Hillsborough Gallery of Arts presents "Refractions," a collection of paintings by Linda Carmel and Marcy Lansman, as well as mosaics and glass art by Pam Isner, from July 23 to Aug. 26.

"Becoming," an exhibit of ngCANTY, a visual artist, is on display at the Sertoma Arts Center, in Raleigh, through July 28. The exhibit highlights her experimental and representational abstract paintings.

Sarah Schroth, who is the Nancy Hanks senior curator at the Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University, in Durham, gave a gallery talk on Romare Bearden, an artist whose work is featured in "Romare Bearden: 20th Century American Master," in the permanent collection at the museum.

Karen Pfaff Manganillo, the entrepreneur behind KLP Designs, in Apex, designed a new website and logo for PORCH - Western Wake, a grass-roots hunger relief program.

Last month, Dianne T. Rodwell, a Raleigh-based artist:
• Held her First Friday Gallery Walk at Artspace, in Raleigh.
• Taught several encaustic workshops in her studio.
• Auctioned off her painting "Eggplant City."

The ENO Gallery, in Hillsborough, presented two exhibitions last month. "Surface Tension" featured the hand-woven fiber installations of Vicki Essig while "Right & Left" featured the paintings of Jennifer Miller.

The photography of Lydia Anne McCarthy and the mixed media pieces of Mia Yoon were featured at "Presence," an exhibit at Block Gallery, in Raleigh.

The artwork of Bonnie Melton and Ashlynn Browning was featured in the gallery at Carrboro Town Hall.

Alexandra Duel-Hallen, Ph.D., a professor of electrical and computer engineering at N.C. State University, in Raleigh, co-authored a paper describing a method to advance the quality and efficiency of data transmission in mobile ad hoc networks. These networks allow people in multiple vehicles to communicate with one another.

Meredith College, in Raleigh, recently awarded:
• Tia Joyce, of North Wilkesboro, the 2012 Alumnae Legacy Scholarship, Meredith's only full, four-year, merit-based scholarship.
• Megan Luke, of Huntersville, and Mollie Melton, of Raleigh, the Meredith College Presidential Scholarship.

Rafailia Vogiatzis, a senior at Riverside High School, in Durham, was awarded a $10,000, four-year college scholarship by the State Employees' Credit Union Foundation. The scholarship recognized her community involvement, leadership skills, character and integrity.

Ingeborg Boesch, a recently retired master teacher from the Emerson Waldorf School, in Chapel Hill, was honored at a ceremony that celebrated her 40 years of teaching.

Susan Cates, associate dean of executive development at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at UNC-Chapel Hill, took part in a study that revealed perception gaps concerning efforts to develop female leaders.

Megan Woodlief, a senior at Knighdale High School, received a $1,000 scholarship from the Education Committee of the Knightdale Chamber of Commerce.

Jacqueline Bailey, a student at Meredith College, in Raleigh, was awarded an N.C. Biotechnology Center undergraduate biotechnology research fellowship for an industrial research collaboration with JustNeem, a body care company, in Cary.

Genevia Gee Fulbright, president and chief operating officer of Fulbright & Fulbright, a certified public accounting firm, in Durham, recently received the certification of Governance Fellow of the National Association of Corporate Directors.

Lauren Joyce, leader of the clean-tech client team at Hughes Pittman & Gupton, a certified public accounting firm, in Raleigh, presented a keynote address on the benefits of going green to the Green Plus Recognition Breakfast of the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.

Jo Ann Barefoot, co-chair of Treliant Risk Advisors, a financial risk management firm, will speak at the American Mortgage Conference, to be held in September, in Raleigh.

The Apex Chamber of Commerce hired Angela Bush as its member relations manager and Evelyn VanBlarcom as its administrative office manager.

Caroline Shillito, owner and principal designer at emma delon, an interior design firm, in Chapel Hill, announced that:
• Nicole Empey is a new design assistant.
• Taylor Wilcox, a sophomore at Appalachian State University, is its summer design intern.

Journonya Harris-Rayner, owner of Party Pleasers, an event planning and party supplies firm, in Knightdale, presented a seminar titled "How to Get the Most Out of Your Wedding Budget," at the Knightdale Business Expo.

Sally Webb, CEO of The Special Event Company, in Research Triangle Park, is planning one of the welcoming events for the Democratic National Convention in September.

The 2012 State of Durham's Economy Breakfast was held last month at the Durham Convention Center. Panelists included Wendy Clark, owner of John O'Daniel Exchange, who spoke about Durham's innovation, entrepreneurship and business climate.

Gov. Bev Perdue recently:
• Appointed Melissa D. Martin to serve as a member of the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission.
• Spoke at the East Chapel Hill Rotary Club meeting.
• Spoke at the pinning ceremony of General Jim Trogdon from brigadier to major general.

DTV8's "City Hall This Week," hosted by Amy Blalock, a senior public affairs specialist, debuted a shorter, weekly format to deliver Durham city news in a more efficient manner. The show informs Durhamites about what's happening inside City Hall.

Patty Briguglio, CEO of MMI Public Relations, in Cary, announced that the firm:
• Received the 2012 Business of the Year Award from the Cary Chamber of Commerce. The award is given for a company's contributions to the community through innovation, creativity, sustainability and community service.
• Won the Steady Growth and Profitability Master Award at the 28th annual Pinnacle Business Awards presented by the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce.:

Diane Kuehn, president and CEO of VisionPoint Marketing, an online agency based in Raleigh, was appointed to the Raleigh Arts Commission.

Margaret Cowan, partner and general manager of Rella:Cowan, a brand development agency, in Durham, announced that the firm was hired by Strategic Communications, a Raleigh-based communication and power infrastructure company, to develop marketing materials for the company's sales team.

The ArtsCenter, in Carrboro:
• Hosted an event at Chapel Hill's Southern Season during which Katharine Whalen, founder of the Chapel Hill-based band Squirrel Nut Zippers, sang.
• Featured Lise Uyanik and the Mobile City Band, a group composed of musicians from across the Triangle.

Kim Arrington, a jazz artist, sang last month at Durham Central Park as part of the "Rock the Park" summer music/concert series. The series is offered by Durham Parks and Recreation.

Dancers from the Raleigh-based Inis Cairde School of Irish Dance performed "Jigs and Reels" at Tir Na Nog, an Irish pub and restaurant, in Raleigh.

The ArtsCenter Stage, in Carrboro, announced:
• Jeri Lynn Schulke will direct "All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914" and "Walt" during the 2012-2013 season.
• Leanne Heintz, Page Purgar, Jess Jones, Mary Rowland and Laurel Ullman are part of the acting ensemble for 10 By 10 in the Triangle, an international festival of new, 10-minute plays.

Haymaker, a Durham-based performing company featuring Emily Hill, presents "Federal Budget," its newest project, at the Burning Coal Theatre Company, in Raleigh.

The cast of Transactors Improv, which includes Anoo Brod, Nancy Pekar and Annie Zipper, staged "On Deck" last month at Common Ground Theatre, in Durham. The show was part of the group's experimental theater series.

The Raleigh chapter of the Links, a female volunteer service organization, gave the Emerald Award, an honor that recognizes exemplary contributions to the community to:
• Brenda High Sanders, the executive director of Raleigh Nursery School.
• Leah Brown, founder, president and CEO of A10 Clinical Solutions, a clinical research and care company, in Cary.
• Helen Asemota, a professor of biology at Shaw University, in Raleigh.
• Beverly McIver, an artist, star of the HBO documentary "Raising Renee," and the SunTrust endowed professor of art at N.C. Central University, in Durham.
• Andrea Harris, president and co-founder of the Institute of Minority Economic Development, in Durham.

Sally Parlier, a volunteer coordinator at Durham Technical Community College, was selected as a member of Habitat for Humanity's 2012 Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project. In November, she will go to Haiti to build 100 homes with 600 other international volunteers.

FemCity Raleigh, the local chapter of Femfessionals – a national organization that connects ambitious professional business women – hosted:
• A vision board workshop that featured JoAnne Schaub, a certified life coach and mentor.
• A presentation by Alice Osborne, a Raleigh-based author and manuscript editor. Her talk was entitled "All About Email Etiquette."

Deborah Bryan was named president and CEO of Action for Children North Carolina, a statewide child advocacy organization.

Holly Lemieux, former chief operating officer of the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, in Raleigh, became president and CEO of the organization.

Deb Yow, director of athletics for N.C. State University, in Raleigh, spoke at the Triangle Ladies Power Lunch. The event, which was held last month at the North Ridge Country Club, in Raleigh, celebrated the organization's second anniversary and recognized successful local women.

Nancy Bundy, vice president and branch sales manager at Crescent State Bank, in Cary, is a new ambassador for the Knightdale Chamber of Commerce.

The results of the Point-in-Time Count, which determines the number of homeless people in Durham in order to design housing and service programs, were recently announced. The count was organized by Kaaren Johanson, coordinator of volunteer services at Measurement Inc. and a member of Durham's Homeless Services Advisory Committee.

Irene Teng, a dog walker at the Animal Protection Society of Durham, was named volunteer of the month.

Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS:
• Awarded Karen Dyer, buyer's agent, the title of neighborhood expert.
• Dedicated a new website for Knightdale homes by featuring a single family home on Carrington Drive in Knightdale.

Melissa Dewey Brumback, a partner at Ragsdale Liggett, a law firm, in Raleigh, was a featured speaker for "Drafting Construction Contracts: Key Provisions and Common Pitfalls," a webinar for construction and real estate legal counsel.

M/I Homes announced that Donna Smith, who recently joined the company, is representing it in the Belmont community, in Raleigh.

Amber Harbarger, a student at the Empire Beauty School, in Durham, won second place in the makeup artistry category at the annual Empire Beauty School Future Professionals Expo, in Hershey, Pa.

Douglas Carroll Salon, in Raleigh, hosted a cut-a-thon to raise money for stylist Eileen Coyne-Homsher, who fell ill.

Jan-Ru Wan, a Chapel Hill-based artist and assistant professor at N.C. State University, in Raleigh, presented the Re-Fashion show and exhibition. The show featured re-purposed clothing made by seniors from the Robert & Pearl Seymour Center, in Chapel Hill.

The Miss North Carolina Pageant took place at the Progress Energy Center for the Performing Arts, in Raleigh.

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, in Research Triangle Park, was selected as a Breast Cancer Fund Science Hero award winner. Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., accepted the award.

Patricia Cadle, MRE, BCC, oncology chaplain of the department of pastoral care at UNC-Chapel Hill Health Care, was named 2012 Chaplain of the Year by the N.C. Chaplains' Association.

Claudia Tovar de Aguirre, president and founder of Lotus Survival Foundation, a Raleigh-based nonprofit that aids those affected by breast cancer, announced that the foundation:
• Will host its first Laughter for the Cause fundraiser at Sparians Bowling Boutique, in Raleigh, on August 18.
• Partnered with Vidant Edgecombe Hospital, in Tarboro, to present the first Walk for Hope.

Kathy Higgins, vice president of corporate affairs at BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, in Durham, and 2012 chair of the Triangle Go Red for Women Luncheon, announced that the event raised $240,000 for heart disease research.

Donna Cruz Jones was appointed to the national board of advisors for the Duke Children's Hospital & Health Center, in Durham. Jones is a member of the board of directors of the Spina Bifida Association of America and the national committeewoman for the Republican Party of Guam.

Nancy McFarlane, president of MedPro Rx, provider of specialty pharmacy services, in Raleigh, announced that the pharmacy received accreditation by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care in the areas of infusion pharmacy services, infusion nursing services and specialty pharmacy services.

Arielle Eckstut and David Henry Sterry, co-founders of The Book Doctors, a company committed to helping authors get their work published, organized Pitchapalooza, an event during which 20 writers had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, at Flyleaf Books, in Chapel Hill.

The Professional Art Quilters Alliance-South and Sharon Elizabeth Wood, a creative writing coach and consultant, are sponsoring "Narrative Threads," an art quilt exhibit, at the Page-Walker Arts and History Center, in Cary, until Aug. 27. The quilts are mixed media creations that combine the art of quilting with words from N.C. writers.

Carrie Knowles, director of the Cross Currents Chamber Music Arts Festival, in Cary, and owner of The Free Range Studio, in Raleigh, announced that her book "A Family Story of Alzheimer's: The Last Childhood" is available as an eBook.