Patterns of Perception Artists' Reception in Tryon

March 4 from 6PM - 8 PM at The Tryon Ats and Crafts School.  Patterns of Perception is the current exhibit in the Gallery at Tryon Arts and Crafts.  The community is invited to view this collection and attend the upcoming artists’ reception on Friday at Tryon Arts and Crafts School located at 373 Harmon Field Road.

The exhibit is a fantastic collection of fiber and glass art from over 30 local and regional artists. The show will run through March 31 and showcases stained glass, fused glass, jewelry, quilts, woven items, knitted blankets, linens and so much more, the exhibit is a wonderful representation of the variety of styles, techniques and materials that are used in both glass and fiber arts

Handmade in America facing another of decifits

This year will be a challenging year for HandMade in America.  We are projecting another deficit year for the third year in a row.  This along with current economic trends have had its toll on HandMade's finances.  Please help HandMade where you can so we can continue to offer the programs and projects that have shaped Western North Carolina into what it is today.  It's time to give back to HandMade. Click here donate today!

HandMade offers free grass roots activities for WNC Craft Artists, begining with Craft Labs:  Craft Labs will be held the second Tuesday of every month beginning March 8, from 6 - 8 pm. These Craft Labs will address emerging and mid-career craft artists' needs. The first three lectures will be taught by HandMade's new Executive Director, Gwynne Rukenbrod.
March 8 - How to Get Your Work Seen/ Portfolio Development
April 12 - The Artist Statement
May 10 - Critiques

Historic Old Fort Train Depot hosts Art Mart

March 5, Old Fort, NC -  Old Fort Arts Mart.  Locally created arts and crafts displayed inside the historic Old Fort Depot. Stop by to chat with the creators of these one of a kind items while you shop for yourself, from something for everyone including baskets, paintings, woodwork, wreaths and candles. Sponsored by Arrowhead Artists and Artisans League

Asheville Art Museum: The Curator's Bazaar

March 12 - 13,  Saturday from 10:00 - 5:00 PM and Sunday from 1:00 - 5:00 PM in the Pack Place Community Gallery at The Asheville Art Museum. The Museum will host The Curator's Bazaar featuring books, frames, art and a variety of other special items Saturday, March 12 and Sunday, March 13 in the Pack Place Community Gallery. Be sure to save the date for a chance to find wonderful and rare items.

If you have some books, good quality frames or other items that you would like to donate to the Bazaar, call the Museum at 828.253.3227 and ask to speak to Frank or Hillary.

5 Ways to support The Center for Craft Creativity and Design (CCCD)

Collaboration is central to the mission and culture of CCCD,  a catalyst for new opportunities and projects that support and advance the field of craft.

FIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO:

PARTICIPATE - Share information about our grants or attend our events.
INVEST - Sponsor an exhibit, support a program, or mentor an artist.
COLLABORATE - Have a big idea? Contact us.
SHARE - Share your research, exhibits, conferences and other interesting happenings in the field.
BUY HANDMADE - Support local artist and your local economy.

The Center for Craft Creativity and Design is located at 1181 Broyles Road in Hendersonville  NC

Take a Class at John C Campbell During Scandinavian Week

Join John C Campbell Folk School for a week of honoring and celebrating the Folk School's Scandinavian heritage. The School's founders, Olive Dame Campbell and Marguerite Butler, studied the folk school model in Scandinavia, certain that they could enhance rural life by adapting these ideas for a school in Appalachia. Several of the Folk School's traditions today, such as Morning Song and a non-competitive spirit, come directly from Scandinavian folkehojskole. Our motto "I sing behind the plow" is from a mid 1800s poem by Danish farmer and poet, Mads Hansen.

Classes this week are taught by many of your favorite instructors as well as some new ones.

Painting: Beginning to Intermediate Rosemaling with Peg Piltingsrud

Needlework & Thread Art : Bring the Newest of Old Folk Art to Your Needlepoint Canvas with Vyvyan Rundgren

Woodworking: Norwegian Bentwood Boxes with Chris Schleier

Cooking: Scandinavian Cooking with Darlene Fossum-Martin

Visit the website for a complete listing of classes this week.

Scandinavian Week also includes special treats such as Danish dancing, Scandinavian trivia night, and authentic Scandinavian food served in our Dining Hall.

Photos: Norwegian-style bentwood boxes on display at a student exhibit. Preparing salmon, the Scandinavian way. Painting a wall piece using Norwegian rosemaling techniques.

New Workshop at Random Arts in Saluda

March 26th - Saluda's Random Arts hosts a workshop with Kristi Steiner, "Worthwhile - Valuing the Treasures Within".  We are going to LOVE this new workshop with Kristi as it's a brand new, better than ever, unique & one of a kind!

We'll be transforming little coin wrappers with luscious techniques for textured backgrounds & turning them into tiny envelopes. Small "assemblages" will then adorn each envelope to create individual "secret hiding places". This is the perfect place to use your collection of vintage findings, lace, buttons and bling. We'll stain & stamp lovely long journal tags to slip inside each envelope, embellishing each with wired jewels. We'll bind our tiny treasures together with ribbon and snuggle them into a sassy paper bag 'purse'. So cute! See more of Kristi's work here.  10 am till 4pm  - $105  includes lunch fro participants.

Knife making workshop at Tryon Arts adn Crafts

Feb 26 - 27 Tryon Arts and Crafts will host a knife making workshop with bladesmith Gerry Drew. By the end of the weekend, students will forge several hunting knife blades and create at least one fully functional tool. They will learn to forge, heat treat, temper and grind knife blades that can be attached to a bone, antler or wood handle. The goal of this class is to bring students to a basic understanding of knife design and workmanship in the forge.

Advance registration is required. For more information about the instructor or workshop including tuition and supply costs, please contact Tryon Arts & Crafts at (828) 859-8323 or by email tryonartsandcrafts@windstream.net. More details and examples of projects are available on the Tryon Arts and Crafts website. Limited number of spaces available.

Penland Scholarship Application Deadlines Approaching

Scholarship and studio assistantship applications for summer classes at Penland School of Crafts must be received by Friday, February 25; applicants will be notified by March 31. Don't wait for the eleventh hour - overnight delivery service doesn't always arrive at Penland overnight! Read more about Penland's scholarship programs and download the application form here.

Penland School of Crafts is a national center for craft education dedicated to helping people live creative lives. Penland offers one, two and eight-week workshops in books & paper, clay, drawing, glass, iron, metals, photography, printmaking and letterpress, textiles, and wood. The school, located in Penland NC ( near Spruce Pine) also offers artists' residencies, community collaboration programs, and a gallery and information center.

John C Campbell Annual Empty Bowls Event Tickets now Available

Support Local Food Banks
by Attending Empty Bowls

Empty Bowls takes place on March 12, 2011 from 5:00- 7:00 p.m. in Olive Dame Campbell Dining Hall at John C Campbell Folk School. Tickets are $25 and must be purchased in person with cash or check only.

Tickets are now available for the annual Empty Bowls event and may be purchased at the Craft Shop, United Community Bank in Hayesville, or the Chamber of Commerce in Murphy.

Empty Bowls, a fund raising event for local food banks, is coordinated by the School's Resident Artist in Clay, Mike Lalone. Participants choose a bowl from a variety of beautiful hand made bowls, donated by our local potters. The Folk School Dining Hall staff then serves a hearty meal of soup, bread, salad, and dessert, while live music is enjoyed.

A brown bag auction is scheduled for 6:00 p.m., where other pieces of locally made pottery will be available. Extra bowls will be sold for $20 after the event. Contact Mike Lalone at 828-361-2462 for more information. John C Campbell Folk School is located at 1 Folk School Road  in Brasstown  NC

Meet the Maker: Andrea Donnelly and Dustin Farnsworth

Feb 23 from 7 PM - 9 PM the UNC Asheville Craft Studies Initiative's Meet the Maker series presents  CCCD Windgate Fellows Andrea Donnelly and Dustin Farnsworth . The Meet the Maker series aims to support and generate awareness for contemporary craft practices, professional artists, UNC Asheville’s Craft Studies Initiative and our partnering organizations. These events are designed to present the significance of making, art and craft in Western North Carolina and beyond. The event will be held in the Owen Conference Room, Owen Hall at the University of North Carolina at Asheville, One University Heights, Asheville NC.

Asheville Art Museum hosts Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony

February 20 at 2:00 PM the Scholastic Art Awards Ceremony  will be held at  the Diana Wortham Theatre in Asheville. The Asheville Art Museum, with the assistance of its volunteer docents, partners with the Asheville Area Section of the American Institute of Architects each year to sponsor the Western North Carolina Regional Scholastic Art Awards.

Students in grades 7 - 12 from all across our region are invited to submit work for this special juried competition. The 2011 Western North Carolina Regional Scholastic Award recipients will be honored at a ceremony on February 20 and the exhibition of their artwork will be on view at the Pack Place Community Gallery from January 28 - March 6, 2011. Regional Gold Key recipients' work will be sent to the National Scholastic Art competition in New York City. For more information on the Scholastic Art Awards, please visit www.ashevilleart.org or www.artandwriting.org.

Metamorpohsis opens at Ashe Arts Center

Metamorphosis, a collection of artwork by eight Ashe County area women, opens in The Gallery at the Ashe Arts Center, 303 School Ave, West Jefferson, NC on  February 16. Metamorphosis, meaning a change or transformation, evolved as a group challenge. The participating women artists  met six years ago while taking a course in 'The Artist's Way' by author Julia Cameron and facilitated by Julia Beck of Blowing Rock. The years of sharing and the respect for one another has encouraged the confidence to perform in art as well as life. 

Participating artists include: Theresa Early Curd, Betsy Klein, Kathy Leahey, Ellie Lyne, Priscilla Popper, Linda Smith, Ann Stone and LaMae Strange. 'The Artist's Way' is a twelve week program in discovering and recovering creativity. The course work has bonded the group and they continue to meet bi-monthly exchanging ideas with different points of view.

The exhibit will be available through March 25th. Call the Ashe County Arts Council for more information, 336-846-ARTS.

Open House at The Storytelling Center of the Southern Appalachians

The Storytelling Center of the Southern Appalachians at Bryson City will host an Open House on February 22, 2011 at the storytelling center, 225C Everett Street, Bryson City, between the hours of 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM. The open house will feature an exhibit of, artist and illustrator, John Kollock’s “Down Home” pen and ink prints as well as, books written, illustrated, and signed, by the artist. A silent auction will also be held featuring 3 mountain landscape paintings by local radio personality, and artist, J. B. Jacobs. Stories will be told and refreshments will be served. All are invited to attend.

Heartwood Gallery News

Potter~Sequoia Miller~25% off
Collectors take note~Sequoia Miller, one of our favorites, has gone back to school and will no longer be producing the wonderful pots we have loved for so long. What we have left will be 25% off starting Feb. 1.

New Work from Potter~ Karen Newgard
Just in~ New work from one of our favorite WNC potters, Karen Newgard.  Many new designs!

25-40% off Select Items
If you missed our 26th anniversary sale in January because of the weather, don't despair. Take advantage of our February reductions. We have two racks of pottery and one case of jewelry that are greatly reduced and will be discontinued in order to bring in new artists for your 2011 viewing pleasure. Heartwood Gallery is located at 21 East Main Street in Saluda NC.

Asheville Art Museum Whistler Tour and Lecture

Feb 19 from 5PM - 7 PM the Asheville Art Museum presents: Lecture + Tour, Whistler as Printmaker: From Realism to Impressionism and Beyond. $20 Members; $25 Non-Members. Now best known for his paintings, James McNeill Whistler was one of the most innovative and influential printmakers working in the second half of the 19th century. Kenneth Myers, Chief Curator and Curator of American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts, will discuss the three major phases in Whistler's career as a printmaker which culminated in the famous prints he completed in Venice in 1879 and 1880 and the great late etchings he completed in Amsterdam in 1889. After the talk, enjoy a reception and tour of The Director's Cut I: 1995-2010.

Located at The Forum in Pack Place and Asheville Art Museum, 2 South Pack Square, Asheville, North Carolina 28801   828.253.3227

Arts & Crafts Antique Show and Conference in Asheville

Feb 18 - 20  The Grove Park Inn hosts the Arts & Crafts Antique Show and Conference.  Recognized for its dedication to the education of the collector, the weekend blends informative talks with an immense show of furniture and collectibles.  No Stranger to antiques and art, the Inn is the perfect backdrop for the show dubbed " the most important weekend of the year for Arts and Crafts Collectors. Read more...

New Members' Party at the Asheville Art Museum

Join Now + Come Party: New Members' Reception Sunday, February 13, 2011, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Free to New Members We love our new Members! This Sunday afternoon reception welcomes our new Members that have joined the Museum over the past year. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow art lovers and learn more about the Museum. The Museum Shop will be offering a special 15% discount during the reception, instead of the usual 10% Member's discount, as a thank you for joining the Museum family!

Join as a Member to enjoy this party and a year of Membership benefits. To join, contact Rebecca Lynch-Maass at 828.253.3227, ext. 114 or rlynch-maass@ashevilleart.org.

Tryon Teachers and Instructors Show

Teachers and Instructors show their work at the Tryon Fine Arts Center Gallery 1, open 10 AM - 4 PM Tuesday - Friday; 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM on Saturday.  This exhibit is a great example of the talent that fuels the art classes and drives the workshops at the arts center.  Dedicated artists in their own right provide insight and instruction for nurturing the thriving arts community in the area. Tryon Painters and Sculptors Instructors Exhibit for 2011 is showing until February 12th at the Tryon Fine Arts Center. The Tryon Fine Arts Center is located at 34 Melrose Avenue Tryon NC

Workshop: Intuitive Marbling on Cotton & Silk

Intuitive Marbling on Cotton & Silk on Saturday, February 12 from 10 am - 5 pm with Laura Sims. Learn the surface design technique of marbling—a fascinating hydro-printing process! Observe the graceful movement of colorful paints as they flow across the surface of a water-based liquid called "size." Learn to recognize pleasing organic shapes on the surface of the "size" and how to permanently transfer them onto cotton and silk. Each student will go home with a selection of fabrics that can be used in mixed media, fabric collage, quilting and nuno felting. Level: all levels. Fee: $85 + materials fee. Cloth Fiber Workshop • 122 Riverside Drive, Studio D • Asheville, NC

Blue Spiral Gallery Exhibition: New Times Three

Blue Spiral Gallery through March 26 - Blue Spiral 1’s most diverse annual exhibition, New x 3 introduces artists who have never before exhibited at the gallery.  Presenting work in an array of media and styles, New x 3 offers fresh perspectives for the New Year. Blue Spiral 1 Gallery is located at 38 Biltmore Avenue, Asheville NC.

Transylvania County Arts Council Gallery Sesquicentennial Event

Feb 11 - Mar 4 APPALACHIA: Artists and Crafters of the WNC Mountains exhibit at the Transylvania County Arts Council Gallery, located at 349 South Caldwell Street in Brevard. Part of the Transylvania County Sesquicentennial 150th Celebration, this free art exhibit will celebrate local artists and crafters from the county and Western North Carolina. Mediums include paintings, photos, fiber, wood, baskets, and much more.

Old Fort Arts Mart this Weekend

February 5 Locally created arts and crafts will be displayed inside the historic Old Fort Depot. Stop by to chat with the creators of these one of a kind items while you shop for yourself, family or friends. Something for everyone including baskets, paintings, woodwork, wreaths and candles.