Founded in Houston, Texas in 2004, Charming Charlie is a women's fashion accessories and women’s handbags retailer that offers trendy jewelry, earrings, bracelets, handbags and scarves at affordable prices. There are over 178 stores across the country.

Charming Charlie approached SPARK in November 2010 to recycle damaged materials into student art work.  The efforts will be part of an overall SPARK 30th year celebration in 2013.  Collage boards with a theme of “Play in the Park” will be done by selected SPARK Parks across the Houston area.  These collage creations will be featured in the  2013 SPARK Art Calendar.  There will also be a traveling display of collages at neighborhood libraries,  school district offices, and at City Hall.  

The first set of SPARK collages was auctioned as a SPARK fundraiser at the Bayou City Art Festival on October 8-9, 2011. 

The second set of collages were on display at the Downtown Farmer's Market, City Hall Plaza.  Artwork could be purchased "cash and carry" at opening bid prices.  An online auction was conducted for remaining pieces.

A third set of collages was auctioned at a SPARK Week reception hosted by Charming Charlie at Lucille's restaurant.  A video produced by Charming Charlie on the project premiered at the event.

HTV  Houston Television also produced a video highlighting the Lucille's event and the Charming Charlie Project.

Read more on the Charming Charlie blog:

                                      October 2011

                                      April 2012

If you are interested in supporting your local SPARK Parksthough the acquisition of one of these unique art pieces, contact Kathleen Ownby (kathleen@sparkpark.org). Donations are tax deductible, and artwork can be donated back to the contributing school.

 

SAMPLE OF COLLAGES
Terrace Elementary School Spring Branch ISD	Chavez High School Houston ISD
Chavez High School Houston ISD
Johnston Middle School Houston ISD	River Oaks Elementary School Houston ISD
Sinclair Elementary School - Houston ISD
"Things You See in a Park"	"Girls Like to Play Ball, Too!"
Park Place Elementary Houston ISD	St. John's School
Hollibrook Elementary School Spring Branch ISD	Chavez High School Houston ISD
Herrera Elementary Houston ISD "SPARK Park Sparkles Our World"	Chavez High School Houston ISD
High School for Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement, Houston ISD
McReynolds Middle School, Houston ISD "SparKing in the Park"
Art teacher Brenda Reed and Principal Jorge Arredondo with mosaic created by 6th and 7th grade students.
Charming Charlie Art Show April 15, 2011
Patty Fadhouli (Marketing Director), Kathleen Ownby (SPARK Executive Director), and Charlie Chanaratsopon (founder and CEO of Charming Charlie) at the Charming Charlie Art Show.
Edgewood Elementary School, Spring Branch ISD "Castle in the SPARK Park"
The mosaic created by Edgewood students depicts the castle structure found in their SPARK park.
MOCAH:  Museum of Cultural Arts, Houston "SPARK Logo"