SIMPSONVILLE — We used to see them in bowling alleys and pool halls.

Now, cigarette vending machines are showing up in coffee shops, art galleries and hotel lobbies. But don’t expect a 12-pack carton to drop from them nowadays.

Instead, look for a random painting or sketch, or perhaps some craftwork, maybe jewelry. The cigarette dispensers of old haven’t been manufactured since the 1980s. A Winston-Salem, N.C., artist has spent nearly 30 years repurposing them to put out art instead.

“With Art-o-mat , we're introducing art to anyone that can spend five bucks and buy a piece of art,” said creator Clark Whittington. “That's where we kind of shine. We make people happy. We engage them. They see things that maybe they would have never thought that they would like.”

Art-o-mats are availab

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