Conversations with Anne McCombie & Renato Abbate

Today we’d like to introduce you to Anne McCombie & Renato Abbate. 

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Renato was born in Pisa, Italy. While living in Italy, he traveled around Europe during summer break, and he was able to experience foods and cultures all across the continent. He moved to the United States when he was just 9 years old, settling first in Florida and then later in North Carolina, where he developed his desire to study cultures and people through the arts. In the early 2000’s Renato and Anne crossed paths in the ceramics studio at UNCW. 

Anne McCombie was born in Wilmington, NC, and moved to South Florida at a young age. Her family was back to Wilmington by high school, and she did everything she could to always have an arts class on the schedule, or she never would have shown up to school in the first place. When she started UNCW and discovered the ceramics studio she was in heaven. She spent all day in the studio and became the very first intern of Hiroshi Sueyoshi, a North Carolina Living Treasure and Ceramics Artist in residence at Cameron Art Museum in Wilmington, NC. 

Being college associates means that Renato and Anne were Facebook friends, and a few years after graduation, when Anne reached out online to see if anyone wanted to partner up for a booth at the Carolina Beach Farmers Market, Renato was the one who responded. They spent the summer working the booth with their kids, and all became friends. Within a few years, their friendship blossomed into much more, and now they live together with their 4 children making art and sharing their love of art and arts education with the community. 

Both Anne and Renato are currently Teaching Artists at Cameron Art Museum, and Dreams of Wilmington, where their outreach programs have placed them in most of the community centers around town inspiring children to creatively express themselves through the arts! 

If they are not in the classroom, they are creating something somewhere! Most recently their 5-d art has gained some attention. Renato is an award-winning chef trained by the US Navy. Anne’s dad was in the restaurant industry, and Anne started waiting tables at 15 years old. Combined, Anne and Renato have over 55 years of restaurant experience. They love food, and they love to eat. What began as private dinner parties for friends has evolved into catering large events like weddings for 70 or political fundraisers for 250, and their business “Art Centered: Food & Art” was created. Word of their amazing food and quality of service has spread fast. They were just accepted into the second round of the “Own Your Own” Restaurant competition in Burgaw, NC. They are also building an addition onto their house so that they can teach classes and create at their home as well! 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
When Renato entered the country at age 9, he didn’t speak the language; his clothes were different, he was different from the other kids, and boy did they let him know. It took years to assimilate into American culture, and during that difficult transitional period, Renato often turned to art as a distraction. When he became a single dad, he needed to change career paths to suit the needs of a single father. His line of work shifted from kitchens to art studios, where he was able to bring his twins to classes with him. 

Being a single parent and an artist isn’t easy. Even though she worked full time, sometimes 2 jobs at a time, in a variety of fields to put food on the table and a roof over her children’s heads, it wasn’t always enough. Childcare is expensive, and making enough money to pay someone else to raise your kids doesn’t leave much time or energy for art. In 2009 Anne and her children became homeless for a short time. She learned that “working for the man” doesn’t provide the sense of security that it ought to and that she needed to figure out how to make a living using a variety of creative skills, a path far more conducive to a happy and healthy lifestyle for both her and her children. It caused her to reflect on what truly is important in life and figure out how to live a life with a more creative focus. Being in a position of having nothing leaves a person feeling grateful and appreciative of every little good thing that surrounds them in the world. There wasn’t much time for art back then, and making art is a lifesaver. It is such a beautiful expression of the soul. She was humbled by her experiences and currently aims to see the bright side of things and strives to shine inspiration everywhere she goes. She wants to be an open mind and an open heart, ready and available to those in need. 

Joining forces is the best thing they’ve ever done! Together there is not a single thing that they cannot accomplish. They have each other’s backs and full support through life’s challenges both large and small. They have created an Art Centered life that they don’t need a vacation from. Life is full of love, food, and art! 

Since Covid and shutdowns, life as we know it has transformed into a more digital environment. This means that artists now have to become graphic designers, videographers, photographers, video editors, writers, social media experts… all sorts of tech-related jobs. Being an artist these days means that you have to be good at all those things as well as at creating art while having the time management skills to actually make the time to make art. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are most proud of the work we do with the Community through DREAMs of Wilmington. We are given the opportunity daily to interact with the children who will be the future leaders of our community, and we get to help them discover their creative passions. 

Last year we planned and orchestrated The Healing Happening: an art walk in the woods. It was a full weekend of music and art. The paths through the 15-acre woods were lined with art, and when you entered into the clearing, we had bands, crafts for kids, and Renato grilling tacos. We had over 300 people come out into the woods for the weekend. The Happening was a fundraiser for Dreams of Wilmington, and we earned enough money to buy a new kiln for the ceramics studio at DREAMs!!! 

We have the privilege of assisting our friends and clients in throwing the greatest events ever! We get to help design menus and decorate and then cook and serve amazing meals to incredible people who just rave about our flavors and friendliness! 

Next weekend we are painting a Mural at Olsen Park for the Work on Wilmington Project. 

We have our artwork for sale currently and Jonkheer Jewelry and Art Studio, New Elements Art Gallery, and Cameron Art Museum. 

We have 2 kids who graduated from the early college program who are now at UNC Charlotte, one child currently in the early college program, and the youngest about to enter into middle school. All Of our kids have their own artistic gifts and are healthy and happy, and we are so proud and love each one of them!!!

We are not starving artists. We are artists who have chosen a life that isn’t full of glam and ritzy frills, a life of peace and creativity that we don’t need to escape from and one that we are lucky to be quarantined into. We have a studio full of inspiration, a garden full of delicious fruits, vegetables, and herbs, and a kitchen full of love, laughter, and incredible foods! We are grateful for our “Art Centered” life!!! 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ArtCentered.squarespace.com
• Instagram: AnneCampbellMcCombie or artistanniemac, ReantoAbbate or Abbatearts
• Facebook: Anne Campbell McCombie, Renato Abbate, Art Centered