Homegirl returns to childhood neighborhood
A Her SAShART offers unique alternatives for interior designs
?> fhltA IA Y MCMILLAN
Special to the Chronicle
When Cornelia Webster was
Sa little gixl^she 1 ivxd^U~UiJ9
Cameron Ave-n^T^gnrndmother^
and namesake Cornelia C.
Matthews, designed the home,
which features glass brick, a bal
cony. and unique roof architec
ture. Webster attributes her cre
ativity to her grandmother, a
noted interior designer.
Webster's home decor
includes antiques and various
items from Africa, the Orient,
America, Haiti and many others.
"I don't discriminate; I collect
everybody's art and artifacts,"
she said. Webster said she takes
pride in finding new ways to use
various items for interior design.
A Japanese wedding kimono is
used to adorn a door. A figure of
Jesus is mounted on a cross of
ocean blue glass. Her doll collec
tion includes Aunt Jemima,
Cornelia and her father Carl'Matthews celebrate after the graduation of
her son Kali.
the Cameron Street Address.
Since then. Webster and her hus
band. James Webster Jr.. and son.
Kali, have lived in Florida, Col
orado. Kansas. Illinois, New
Hampshire, Roxboro, Chapel
Hill and other areas as they fol
lowed her husband's college
coaching career.
"I'm a homegirl who went
away with no thought of ever
coming back. It's weird. You
Webster added the ocean blue glass to this sash. To its right is a figure
of Jesus, on a cross of blue glass.
Nefertiti, Little Cabbage Patches
and many more.
When Webster was a child,
her mother often strolled her
around the 1100 block of
Cameron. Her father. Carl
Matthews, has since forgotten
never know where you are going
to end up." she said.
She is hack on Cameron
Avenue now, a few houses down
from her grandmother's place,
and she has a hobby that has
opened doors and windows for
her.
Cornelia Webster started cre
ating SAShART out of window
sashes w hen she and her husband
were traveling through Colorado.
She saw some old doors and
windows that were leaning up
against a house. When Webster
looked at them, she believed that
they could be recycled. They
purchased the doors and win
dows and decided to mount art
work in the window sashes.
She and her husband turned
the hobby into a business'when
they moved to Roxboro, N.C.,
called "the SAShART collec
tion" Called Connie and Com
pany in Denver, it was known for
unique framing, as they used var
ious window Sashes. Photogra
phy. interior design and other gift
items were available. Denver
publications featured the com
pany. They framed posters and
original artwork. She was fea
tured in "Colorado Homes &
Lifestyles" for her expertise in
interior design, as well as the
archaic window frames.
Webster designed the Col
orado State University weight
room facility from conception to
design and completion in 1982.
She has done home shows,
exhibits, auctions and more.
Webster added mirrors,
cathedral glass, antique mirror
This window sash maintains its original glass.
glass and more. "The sky is the
limit when it comes to being cre
ative." she said. She had hoped
to be able to get some of the win
dow sashes from Atkins High
School, so she could preserve
some of its history. However, she
was denied, because the crew
had been instructed to destroy
the windows.
She said she loves to get
This windowWdSh houses original
posters from old "colored" movie
houses advertising the movie
"One Round Jones," starring
Eddie Green.
Cornelia Webster lived at 1029 Cameron Ave. as a child. She is showr
here with her namesake and grandmother, Cornelia C. Matthews, whi
is known for creative interior and architectural design. Her grand
mother designed this home.
windows from arched openings,
because of their rarity. Most of
the sashes are rectangular. She
tries to maintain the original
hardware from the window
sashes and does not seek to make
the design perfect. Webster said
she wants the frame to maintain
its original state.
She returned to Winston
Salem and completed her under
graduate degree in 1974. She
came back this year, and has
never forgotten her hobby.
She has never forgotten her
hobby. She has spent a great deal.
of time helping her son Kali
grow up and assisting her hus
band in his career. "Now that
they are both grown up, maybe I
can develop this hobby again,"
she said.
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