The National Gingerbread House Competition and Display Shows the Art of Baking

November 18, 2015 - January 3, 2016    The National Gingerbread House Competition and Display   Contestants from across the country bring their architectural masterpieces to The Grove Park Inn for display over the holidays. Delight in the imagination shown in these sugar-and-spice creations, strolling through the competition is a sure way to be swept up in the holiday spirit. 

There is no admission charge to view the entries to the National Gingerbread House Competition. In addition to the gingerbread overload, see the beautiful holiday displays throughout and warm by the giant fireplaces in the grand lobby. Pick up a map in the lobby to find the various areas where the entries are displayed.

Penland School of Crafts Announces Hot Glass & Electric Light Workshop This Spring

For art students interested in ways to take glass sculpture a step further, Jen Elek and Jeremy Bart's spring concentration "Hot Glass and Electric Light" will be the ideal opportunity to do just that. During the eight-week workshop, which runs March 13-May 6 2016, Jen will lead students through a strong base of hot glass techniques and Jeremy will add instruction in the fundamentals of incorporating various forms of light into glass, from neon to LEDs.

The Penland glass studio will be all about exploring the possibilities and ideas that open when glass and light combine. It’s an area that collaborating artists Jen Elek and Jeremy Bart are already quite familiar with. In their recent exhibition Look! See? at The Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA, the two created a dynamic and interactive landscape of forms, colors, reflections, and luminescence. Just as with a single light bulb, their pairing of glass and light combines to make more than the sum of its parts.

Jeremy Bart and Jen Elek's Installation "Look See?" at The Museum of Glass

"Believe" a part of the Look See? Instaqllaation

Jeremy Bert and Jen Elek — Most of us live within the glow of electric light, often protected or filtered by glass. This class will empower the nontechnically inclined artist to harness these omnipresent media by exploring the mechanics of glass and light while considering the potential for electric light in sculpture. Jen will teach the fundamentals of glass furnace work for the full eight weeks. Jeremy will teach for four weeks to cover the basic principles, vocabulary, and techniques of neon and other forms of electric light, including LED and incandescent. Artists ready to explore the combination of glass forming and electric light will find this workshop a great fit. All levels.  

Jen has been a member of glass artist Lino Tagliapietra’s team since 2002; Jeremy is a certified welder, crane operator, and sign electrician. The two have previously taught at Pilchuck (WA) and have exhibited their work at Museum of Glass (WA) and Pittsburgh Glass Center. 

Human Heads" Collaboration by Jeremy Bert and Jen Elek

Register HERE for Hot Glass & Electric Light to give your work a literal jolt of electricity, and discover the potential for striking, communicative, and even humorous sculpture that the combination offers.

The information and photos in this post were provided by The Penland Sketchbook.

Holiday Gallery Walk in Brevard NC This Weekend

December 18, 2015   Holiday Gallery Walk   Enjoy an evening stroll in downtown Brevard, NC as you explore the art galleries, art stores, retail stores and restaurants that are staying open late from 5 PM -8 PM.  

Experience art, music and wine. Be sure to look for the animal sculptures and the murals located in downtown Brevard as well. 

Make an evening of it and stop by and have dinner in one of the downtown restaurants. A brochure for the gallery walks can be found at any of the participating galleries or at the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce.

 

Art Sale Fundraiser at Upstairs Artspace in Tryon NC

Upstairs Artspace in Tryon NC

December 12 - 18, 2015     100X100 Art Sale Fundraiser at the Upstairs Art Space.  This popular  fundraiser returns just in time for holiday gift-giving. Original artwork by 100 artists will be sold on a first-come, first served basis for $100 each. 


The sale begins with an opening reception held on Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 - 8 pm; the same evening as the Tryon Holiday Stroll. Participating artists will remain anonymous until the final day of the exhibit when their identities will be revealed during a closing reception Friday, Dec. 19, from 5 - 7:30 pm.

Learn more about local mountain arts and crafts on 

our Tryon NC Visitor Guide 

River Arts District Studio Stroll - A Favorite Asheville Art Event

November 14 - 15, 2015    River Arts District Fall Studio Stroll   The first, largest, and most walkable tour of working artists' studios in the region, the River Arts District Studio Stroll takes place in 19 historic buildings along the French Broad River with nearly 200 artists studios. 

There will be artists' demonstrations and hands-on activities throughout the weekend. An Information Booth will be located at the 5-points intersection of Depot St. across from the Clingman Café.

If you're looking for Christmas crafts and special, unique Holiday gifts - THIS IS THE EVENT!

NC Mountains Downtown Art Walks This Friday - Get Your Christmas Crafts Early

Date:       November 6, 2015
NC City:   ASHEVILLE
Event:     Asheville Downtown Gallery Association Art Walk   The Downtown Asheville Art District (DAAD) invites you to visit the more than twenty galleries that contribute to Asheville's reputation as a vibrant arts community and "The Paris of the South." Within a half-mile radius of Pack Square and the city's center, you'll find unparalleled diversity from fine studio crafts, to glass, photography, folk art and contemporary painting, metalwork, textiles, jewelry and more by local, regional, national and international artists.  A complete  Downtown Gallery Guide and map is available at any participating downtown gallery, the Chamber of Commerce, or Pack Place.


Date:      November 6, 2015
NC City:  WAYNESVILLE
Event:     Art After Dark   Downtown galleries and studios remain open until 9 PM.  The evening features special openings, demonstrations, artist receptions, and music


Date:      November 6, 2015
NC City:  MURPHY
Event:    First Friday Murphy Art Walk    5 PM - 8 PM. Presented by The Valley River Arts Guild. Stroll through historic downtown Murphy for an exceptional visual, culinary, and performing arts experience. Galleries, restaurants, and many other businesses will feature art, demonstrating artisans, live performances, music, and fine dining. Visit the juried Artist Market locations where you can meet local and regional artists and there will be something for everyone. Free and open to the public.



  

Penland Students Hold Empty Bowls Event This Week

November 2 - 6, 2015 at the Penland School of Crafts Coffee House:   Empty Bowls Project. Students in the clay concentration with Suze Lindsay and Kent McLaughlin are hosting an Empty Bowls event this week at the Penland Coffee House. Visitors can make a $20 donation to fight hunger, enjoy a simple lunch-time meal of soup prepared by the Penland kitchen, and take home a unique bowl made by a student in the class.

The Empty Bowls meal will be available at the Penland Coffee House from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

photo courtesy Penland Sketchbook

The Empty Bowls Project  at Penland was started twenty-five years ago by Lisa Blackburn and John Hartom, who live nearby in Yancey County. The success of the project spread rapidly, and today communities around the globe join the Empty Bowls Project by offering a simple soup meal served in donated handmade bowls as a reminder of all of the empty bowls in the world. 

The money raised from each event goes to a hunger-fighting organization chosen by the hosts. The Penland project’s proceeds will go to Mitchell County Shepherd’s Staff, a non-profit organization providing food and heating assistance to Mitchell county residents in need.

Current Exhibitions at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts‏

November 6, 2015, from 6-10 PM:  Fall Exhibition Celebration!  The Turchin Center invites you inside after hours, to “engage, discover and connect through the arts.” Held several times a year, these celebrations offer a chance to meet the artists and enjoy a cocktail while wandering one of the most exciting venues in town: a collection of six galleries filled with a diverse mix of contemporary art from local, regional, and international artists. This Celebration will include live music, and a chance to win a TCVA wine tour. Learn more...

KIARA, Pigment print, 30″ X 40″

The Performance Review: Endia Beal “What’s really going on here?” That’s a question the artist Endia Beal asks throughout her work, which shines a bright, unwavering light on the ways in which black women are relegated to obscurity in our culture. “Beal is acutely aware of the under-representation of minority stories in contemporary art circles; it is even more rare to find stories of black women working within the structures of corporate America,” say Turchin Center Curator Mary Anne Redding. In fact, the title of her show refers to an experience Beal had working as a tall, young black woman in a mostly white IT office; she found out through the grapevine that her male colleagues were fascinated with her hair and wanted to touch it. So she let them—then documented the unorthodox office experience in one of the videos featured in her Turchin Center show. Learn more.   Exhibition ends: Saturday, December 19, 2015.

kirsten-stolle--From_Animal_Pharm

Intervention: Kirsten Stolle.  Take a closer look at the pretty floral wallpaper featured in the multimedia artist Kirsten Stolle’s mid-century kitchen, “Miracle Grow,” and you’ll notice not-so-innocent pesticide cans and herbicide containers where a daisy’s cheery center should be. “Stolle’s installations examine the influence of corporate agribusiness and biotech companies on the food supply,” says Redding, and to do that the artist uses text-based embroidery, manipulated audio loops, and such reference materials as vintage medical books, 20th century agricultural magazines, USDA promotional videos, and mid-century chemical-company print advertisements among other materials,  “I strive to create elegant environments within the context of disturbing genetic realities,” says Stolle.   Learn more.   Exhibition ends: Saturday, December 19, 2015.

Sightings: Ruth Ava Lyons

Sightings: Ruth Ava Lyons.  “The artist Ruth Ava Lyons is inspired by her passion for diving, endangered watery ecosystems, natural disasters, and other environmental factors,” says Redding. The artist’s experiences at the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Florida Everglades, Congaree National Park, Cumberland Island and other national parks and forests have intensified her concern for the negative effect of man’s behavior on the natural world. Rather than a dark and gloomy vision, however, Lyons has translated her preoccupations into ‘brightly colored mixed media paintings that evoke the shimmering hues of the sea and the sensuality of moist surroundings,” says Redding.   Learn more.    Exhibition ends: Saturday, December 19, 2015.



STREAM: Razi Projects, the Collaborations of Suzi Davidoff and Rachelle Thiewes.  We began our collaborative partnership in 1999. As artists from very diverse disciplines, we found common ground in our interest in the landscape, pattern, light and one’s perception and navigation of the natural world. Our projects have ranged from artists books to installation to video with a focus on human interaction with the environment.   Learn more.  Exhibition ends: Saturday, February 6, 2016

View ALL Turchin Center Exhibits 

The Turchin Center for the Visual Arts‏  is located at 423 West King Street in Boone NC. 

 

Penland Participates at SOFA in Chicago

Come visit Penland School of Crafts at this year’s SOFA Expo in Chicago November 5-8. The event is an annual art fair that celebrates sculpture and functional art, complete with gallery exhibits, lectures, and special displays.

photo courtesy of  Penland Sketchbook

Penland staff will be part of two SOFA educational lectures:

The Penland School of Crafts Gallery & Visitors Center 2016 Expansion Friday, November 5, 9:00am
Penland gallery director Kathryn Gremley and Penland executive director Jean McLaughlin will give a talk about the new Penland Gallery & Visitors Center. The discussion will feature artists Stoney Lamar and Kate Vogel and will cover the new programming possible in the gallery’s expanded space.

Art Quilts: A Contemporary Conversation Friday, November 5, 10:30am
Penland’s Jean McLaughlin will be part of a panel discussion on trends in contemporary quilt making put on by the friends of Fiber Art International.

In addition to these lectures, Penland friends will be staffing a Penland table to tell you about upcoming workshops and events on campus. They will also be represented alongside Arrowmont, Haystack, Pilchuck, and Peters Valley at a table for the Craft School Experience. Stop by to see all the opportunities.

 

Van Gogh at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum

A creative interpretation of Vincent Van Gogh's Wheat Field with Cypresses has popped up in the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum. Thirty-six employees and friends of Cheap Joe's Art Stuff each painted a section of Van Gogh's masterpiece to create this larger-than-life mural. The collaborative painting will be displayed on the second floor of the Museum through November 21, 2015.

photo courtesy Blowing Rock Art and History Museum

 The Museum is located at 159 Chestnut Street in Blowing Rock, NC and open year around with exhibits, events and educational opportunities.

ColorFest, Art and Taste of Appalachia this Weekend in Dillsboro NC

October 17, 2015   ColorFest, Art and Taste of Appalachia   Autumn's colors and flavors take center stage  during this popular annual festival. This arts and food event fills the sidewalks of Dillsboro with a variety of mountain artisans demonstrating their skills, plus food vendors serving up a taste of the North Carolina mountains.  

Local musicians and street entertainers add music to festivities, while restaurants and shops are open to serve the crowds throughout the day.  10 AM - 4 PM.

Cashiers Valley Leaf Festival Begins Today

October 9 - 11, 2015   Cashiers Leaf Festival     Each year, the Greater Cashiers Area Merchants Association (known locally a GCAMA, or G-comma) sponsors the Cashiers Leaf Festival. This 3-day event celebrates the beauty of the season that's particularly unique to this area. 

Featuring arts and crafts from local and regional artisans, food from area restaurants, music from a variety of bands on two main stages, and activities for all ages at various locations throughout the Cashiers Valley, the Cashiers Leaf Festival serves as the centerpiece of the area's Leaf Season. 

Learn more about Cashiers NC HERE, on our Visitors Guide. 

 

Autumn Leaves Craft Show this Weekend in Franklin NC

October 8 - 10, 2015     Autumn Leaves Craft Show   Unique, hand-made crafts by local skilled artisans in Western North Carolina. Enjoy great food and more. Held on the Macon County Fairgrounds in Franklin NC with over 50 venders.  Free admission and parking.

photo courtesy of FranklinMainstreetProgram.org

Downtown Asheville Art District hosts Gallery Walk this Friday

October  2, 2015    Asheville Downtown Gallery Art Walk    The Downtown Asheville Art District (DAAD) invites you to visit the more than twenty galleries that contribute to Asheville's reputation as a vibrant arts community and "The Paris of the South." 

Bender Gallery Exhibit, courtesy of DAAD

Within a half-mile radius of Pack Square and the Asheville city center, you'll find unparalleled diversity from fine studio crafts, to glass, photography, folk art and contemporary painting, metalwork, textiles, jewelry and more by local, regional, national and international artists.  


A complete  Downtown Gallery Guide and map is available at any participating downtown gallery, the Chamber of Commerce, or Pack Place.  Learn more about Asheville's Art Community on our Asheville NC Visitor Guide. 

Art After Dark this Friday in Waynesville

October 2, 2015    Art After Dark   Downtown Waynesville galleries remain open for Art after Dark featuring demonstrations, artist receptions, and special music. Enjoy the Gallery Stroll from 6 PM - 9 PM with live music and great food. Free admission. Art After Dark happens the first Friday evening of each month from May through December.

Get more information about Waynesville art galleries and craft shops on the Waynesville NC Visitor Guide.

Last Chance for September Workshops at Random Arts

"Mix" it up with Jodi Ohl this weekend At Random Arts: Friday - Graffitti Grunge;  Saturday - Skinny Mini Cities;  Sunday - Bold Blossoms.  SPECIAL OFFER Take all 3 classes and save $75.

Jodi Ohl is back at Random Arts for another 3 days of inspiring and creative workshops. Join Jodi in 1, 2 or 3 of these "tried and true" acrylic painting experiences. Take all 3 and save $75 and take this opportunity to share in Jodi's vast knowledge of having fun with your art.

September 25, 2015 - Grunge Ink. Are you the intrigued by experimental art? Does letting loose and letting things 'flow' excite and scare you at the same time? You will experience:  Action packed class, inked up abstracts,  drawing,  dripping,  grungy abstract,  mixed media art pieces,  compositions,  creative energy,  exhilarating exercises,  fearless artistic self,  grungy inky fun,  creative experimentation,  fearless,  adventurous,  Yupo paper,  acrylic inks,  paints,  India ink,  special effects,  luscious layers, all  resulting in abstract works created by you.   Time: 10 AM - 4 PM;  Cost: $125. Supplies: Yes.

September 26 - Skinny Little Mini Cities. You'll be using 3-5 large rectangular canvases to find your inner child during this action packed, fun filled class featuring quirky compositions of mini villages, flowers, and more. Collage, paint, draw, print and more. Learn about veiling and glazing, shading and highlighting among other fun acrylic painting techniques. Time: 10 ZM -  4 PM;  Cost: $125. Supplies: Yes

September 27 - Bold and Beautiful Blossoms. Create your very own colorful garden of flowers with the gentle guidance of Jodi Ohl in this day long workshop. Bring along several canvases so you can explore all the possibilities in one day. You'll learn all about composition, color combinations, collage, design and "extra special" techniques to make your work of art entirely yours.  Time: 10 AM -  4 PM.  Cost: $125. (Take all 3 and SAVE $25. on each class) Supplies: Yes

Fresh brewed coffee and pastries served each morning at 9:30 before class. Register by email or phone: 828-749-116. 

Random arts is located at 481 Louisiana Avenue in  Saluda NC - 2 blocks from downtown Saluda at the corner of Main Street and Louisiana.  

 

Spend a lively Weekend in Marshall NC at the Art on the Island Festival

September 26, 2015   Art on the Island Festival   The new and improved arts and music (used to be MAD on Main held in May) has moved the month to September and the location to Blannahassett Island and changed the name to Art on the Island Festival. Still FREE! 

The new venue allows the festival to put musicians on the new stage and to combine with the Farmer’s Market to offer many more opportunities to enjoy the day. Come out to browse through arts booths, sample local food and buy local produce while listening to musicians perform throughout the day. For questions, contact the Madison County Arts Council at 828 649-1301. 

Find more information about Marshall NC on our Visitor Vacation Guide. 

Heritage Weekend At Asheville's Folk Art Center

September 19 - 20, 2015   Heritage Weekend is a two-day celebration of traditional crafts and music at Asheville's Folk Art Center. The 35th free festival is sponsored by the Southern Highland Craft Guild and features traditional music, dancing and heritage craft demonstrations. 

A highlight of the weekend is the 33nd Annual World Gee Haw Whimmy Diddle Competition.

The Folk Art Center is located at Milepost 382 off the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville NC. 

Weekend Events at The Asheville Art Museum

September 18, 12:00 - 1:00 PM  Lunchtime Art Break - Wegman The Museum presents Lunchtime Art Breaks, a series of gallery talks and presentations designed to inform and engage you in dialogue with members of our curatorial and education departments, docents and special guests. A member of the Museum's staff will give a gallery tour of William Wegman: Cubism and Other-isms. Free with membership or Museum admission.

September 19, 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. Photo Experience at Hickory Nut Gap Farm   Join photographer Ken Abbott on a photographic exploration of the historic Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Abbott's own photos, taken at the farm, are currently on view in the exhibition Heritage and Home: Photographs of Hickory Nut Gap Farm and are featured in his recent publication Useful Work: Photographs of Hickory Nut Gap Farm. 

Abbott received his MFA in photography from Yale University School of Art in 1987, and spent 15 years as chief photographer for the University of Colorado at Boulder. He moved to Asheville with his family in 2002, and has pursued independent art projects including an extensive documentary of Mrs. Hyatt's Oprahouse, a gathering of musicians and devoted fans meeting weekly in the garage behind the house since the 1950s. Abbott also photographed businesses, people and buildings in the old Asheville stockyards area, prior to its recent transition into the new brewery for New Belgium Brewing Company. Abbott received an Artists Fellowship from the North Carolina Arts Council for the Hickory Nut Gap Farm Project in 2006. 

Participants should bring their own camera. Please dress appropriately for the weather and light hiking. To register call the Museum at 828.253.3227. $25 for Members; $35 for Non-Members.

Pianoforte Recital, photo courtesy of the Asheville Art Museum

September 20 at 3:00 p.m. Pianoforte Recital in Sol LeWitt Gallery    Pianoforte alumni John Cobb and Alexander Schwarzkopf will perform selections by Bartok, Cage, Copeland, Crumb, Gershwin, Ives, Schoenberg and Steinbach. While we have had the pleasure of having each of the pianists perform at Pianoforte recitals, this is the first time they will be performing together. Please call the Museum at 828.253.3227 for reservations. $8 + tax for Members ($7 children) $16 + tax (includes Museum admission) for Non-Members ($15 children).

The Asheville Art Museum is located at 2 South Pack Square in downtown Asheville NC.  

Sparta NC Hosts the 21st Annual Mountain Heritage Festival

photo courtesy High Country Press

September 19, 2015  21st Annual Mountain Heritage Festival    Craft and food vendors line Main Street in celebration of mountain heritage in craft and music. This year's entertainment features Loose Strings and 3 other local bands. 

With demonstrations of the skills of local ancestors and music that mixes local heritage with modern influences, there is something for everyone. Dancers will be kicking up their heels and  the  Possum Queen will be crowned.

2015 Entertainment Schedule  (subject to change):
10 AM – Opening Ceremonies
National Anthem Performed by 11 year old Karis Howell Colors Presented by Bruce Wayne Osborne VFW Post.
10:30 AM – JAM Youth Showcase
11 AM – Jubilee Dancers - Traditional line dancing performed by Alleghany Jubilee’s regulars.
11:30 AM – Alleghany Moon
12:30 PM – the Dance Place Dancers
12:45 PM– Cake Auction - Your chance to bid on desserts made by Alleghany’s best bakers!
1 pm – Crooked Road Ramblers - The Crooked Road Ramblers are an old-time band from Southwest Virginia, steeped in the traditional music of the Blue Ridge.
1 PM - Soap Box Derby
Enjoy the 2nd annual race down Main Street. Starting at the end near the Sparta Presbyterian Church and finishes at the Alleghany County Administrative offices.
2 PM– WestWend - WestWend is an American/country duo comprised of Jonathan Maness (guitar, vocals) and Wendy Crowe (vocals) from Knoxville, TN
3:30 PM – Rise and Shine Band - The Rise and Shine Band is the house band at the Alleghany Jubilee, located in the former Spartan Theater on Sparta’s Main Street, and is a regular on the Mountain Heritage Stage
4 PM – Possum Queen Contest, Hillbilly Wes to Emcee - Come out to see who will take home the crown.  

Last of the Season - Ooh La La Curiosity Market

September 19, 2015   Ooh La La Curiosity Market   An outdoor market in Pritchard Park  featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. 

In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic, and jazz acts. 

Weaverville NC Hosts Art In Autumn Crafts Festival

September 19, 2015:     Art in Autumn   This is the eighth annual Art in Autumn Outdoor Arts and Crafts Festival. Browse 114 juried artists and craftspeople, while enjoying an exciting array of food and live music.

The  festival brings a lively celebration of community and fine art to the Main Street of the 'Mayberry-esque' town of Weaverville, only 10 minutes north of Asheville NC. 

2014 Art in Autumn photo courtesy of Weaverville Art in Autum

Annual Sculpture Celebration and Jeans Preview Party

September  12, 2015    29th Annual Sculpture Celebration   This Annual Sculpture Celebration features a Blue Jeans Preview Party Friday evening and a competition Saturday featuring sculptors from several states east of the Mississippi River. 

The Celebration will be open to the public 9 AM-4 PM and judging occurs all day with awards announced about 3:30 PM.

This Week at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum

September 10, 2015, 5 PM - 6:30 PM at The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM), 159 Chestnut Street in Blowing Rock NC - Opening Reception for Unity with Diversity. The free reception kicks off the exhibit by the Blue Ridge Women Painters: Beth Andrews, Marion Cloaninger, Marsha Holmes, Susan Marlowe, and Norma Suddreth. The artists will also teach a free art workshop on Thursday, Sept 24 from 5:30 – 6:30 PM in the museum’s Education Center. 

Blue Ridge Women Painters, courtesy of BRAHM

The Exhibit can be viewed in BRAHM’s Community Gallery from September 9 – October 1, 2015.

September 11 at 10 AM - Membership Coffee with Mark Rose. Topic: NC Native Plants: Three Seasons of Blooms. Free for Members and Non-members, includes refreshments and door prizes.

Weekly Programs:

Every Tuesday: Afternoon Art Club - 3:30 - 4:30 PM for ages 6-10.  Free for Members / $5 Non-members **Registration required

Every Thursday: Doodlebug Club - 1-2 PM and 3-4 PM for ages 3-5.  Free for Members / $5 Non-members **Registration required

Every Thursday and Saturday: Docent Tour -  Thursday at 4 PM,   Saturday at 2 PM.  Free for Members / regular admission for Non-members.

West Jefferson Gallery Crawl

September 11, 2015    West Jefferson Gallery Crawl   Stroll the streets of an historic mountain town, enjoy the cool mountain breeze while listening to the sounds of street musicians and "popping" in and out of West Jefferson's many galleries. 

Open House in more than 15 art galleries and studios including: Acorn Gallery, Ashe Arts Center, Ashe Custom Framing & Gallery, Backstreet Beads, Bohemia Gallery, Broomfields Gallery, CatchLight Gallery, Everything Has a Story, Florence Thomas Art School, French’s Art Gallery, Originals Only Gallery, Quilt Square Girls, Ripples Gallery, RT Morgan Art Gallery, Shoemaker Studio, and The Artists’ Theatre.

Learn more on the West Jefferson and Jefferson NC Visitor Guide.

Labor Day Weekend Arts Events: Asheville Art Walk

September 4, 2015    Asheville Downtown Gallery Association Art Walk   Enjoy the fine art and craft of the Asheville Downtown Gallery Association and see one of the reasons Asheville has been voted #1 small city in the country by the readers of American Style Magazine 2 years running. 

20+ downtown venues participate with a complete  Downtown Gallery Guide and a map available at any participating downtown gallery, the Chamber of Commerce, or Pack Place.

Mountain Made at the Grove Arcade Asheville Art Walk

Waynesville After Dark this Labor Day Weekend

September 4, 2015   Art After Dark   Downtown Waynesville galleries remain open for Art after Dark featuring demonstrations, artist receptions, and special music. Enjoy the Gallery Stroll from 6 PM - 9 PM with live music and great food. Free admission. Art After Dark happens the first Friday evening of each month from May until December.

Learn more about local mountain events on the Waynesville NC Visitor Guide.

Asheville Art Museum Special Events this Weekend

August 28, 2015 from 12:00 to 1:00 PM at the Asheville Art Museum, 2 South Pack Square in downtown Asheville NC:   Lunchtime Art Break. Photographer Ken Abbott will be leading this Lunchtime Art Brea.  Ken will discuss his work in Heritage and Home: Photographs of Hickory Nut Gap Farm.

Ken Abbott Photograph of Hickory Nut Gap Farm

The Museum presents Lunchtime Art Breaks, a series of gallery talks and presentations designed to inform and engage you in dialogue with members of our curatorial and education departments, docents and special guests.

August 29, 5:00 - 8:00 PM join the Museum for a Soiree at Hickory Nut Gap Farm. Take a tour of the historic Hickory Nut Gap home and enjoy food and music while you immerse yourself in the surroundings of this beautiful farm.

Heavy hors d'oeuvres catered by the Hickory Nut Gap Farm, as well as beer and wine will be served. This event is held in conjunction with Heritage and Home: Photographs of Hickory Nut Gap Farm, featuring the works of local photographer Ken Abbott.

$30 for members; $40 for non-members. Please call the Museum at 828.253.3227 for tickets.

Qualla Arts and Crafts Open Air Indian Art Market in Cherokee NC

August 29, 2015     Qualla Arts and Crafts Open Air Indian Art Market    " Where our family traditions become your family heirlooms".  The Open Air Indian Art Market showcases traditional, handmade Cherokee arts and crafts. 

Come to shop for authentic and unique gifts but stay for the music, food, storytelling, and craft demonstrations. This outdoor event is held in the Cultural District of Cherokee next to Oconaluftee Islands Park. A traditional Cherokee meal will be for available for purchase.

Learn more about local events and attractions on the Cherokee NC Visitor Guide. 

 

Ooh La La Curiosity Market this Saturday in Asheville

August 29, 2015    Ooh La La Curiosity Market   An outdoor market in Pritchard Park  featuring works by local painters, leather smiths, jewelry makers, potters ,up-cycled crafters, and other curious delights, all beneath the colored canopies of large market umbrellas. 

In addition to the artists, the market will also feature live local music with up three musical acts performing each Saturday and will include everything from a solo saxophonist to folk, blues, acoustic, and jazz acts. 

Head for downtown Asheville NC this Saturday for one of the area's most popular outdoor art Markets.

 

Highlands Hosts Village Square Art and Craft Show

August 29 - 30, 2015   Village Square Art and Craft Show   Sponsored by the Macon County Art Association, there are many works of art from which to choose. You will also find jewelry, pottery, weaving, metalwork, woodwork and other high quality crafts for the home and garden. 

70+ local and regional art vendors. The show is held in downtown Highlands NC at Kelsey-Hutchinson Park and neighboring Village Square, a block from Main Street.

Random Arts September Schedule

September 2015 at Random Arts, 481 Louisiana Avenue in Saluda NC: 

Gelli Plate Printing

9/1  - Zen Doodle from 10 AM - noon (no fee/no registration) 
9/4  - Paint your Pet Watercolor from 1 PM - 3:30 with Miriam Hughes. Fee $40 
9/5  -  Gelli Plate Printing from 1 PM - 3:30. Fee $30 
9/10 -  Gouache Resist from 10 AM - 12:30 PM. Fee $25. 
9/12 -  Transfers of all Kinds from 1 PM - 3:30 PM. Fee $30 
9/15 - Zen Doodle from 10 AM - noon (no fee/no registration) 
9/17 -  Torn Birds Collage from 10 AM - noon. Fee $30. 
9/19 -  Open Studio Play Day from 11 AM - 4 PM.  NO FEE 
9/25 -  Jodi Ohl - Grunge Ink 
9/26 -  Jodi Ohl - Skinny Mini Cities 
9/27 -  Jodi Ohl - Wild Flowers and Birds 

Call for Native Plant Artists at The Blowing Rock Art Museum

THE ART OF NATIVE PLANTS Competition at The Blowing Rock art and History Museum is calling for artists to compete in an exhibition sponsored by the NC Native Plant Society. The Exhibition will be held at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum, April– July, 2016. Deadline for application is December 1, 2015. Get additional information HERE. 

William Wegman Exhibition at The Asheville Art Museum

August 23, 3:00 - 5:00 PM at The Asheville Art Museum, 2 South Pack Square in downtown Asheville NC - Opening Reception for Cubism and Other-isms by William Wegman. The exhibition is on view August 22, 2015 through January 24, 2016. 

William Wegman, one of the world's most renowned photographers, has been working on a project he calls Cubism and Other-isms, where with his trademark wry humor he mines art historical precedents to create images of startling beauty. Beginning in the early 1990s while making videos and films with his dogs standing in as human characters, the artist placed his subjects on elevated platforms in order to shoot them at eye level. Over the years, props in Wegman's photographs have taken many forms, but none so consistently as the cube. 

William Wegman "Lean"to" courtesy Asheville Art Museum

Upcoming Events at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum

August 19, 2015 from 10 AM to 3 PM - Nature Journaling Workshopwith Sue McBean   The goal for this workshop is not to have a perfect end product, but to learn from and enjoy the journey. The workshop will begin inside with short, simple pen and paper exercises to spur creativity, and will then venture outdoors and experiment with different methods of opening the senses to hear and see what is presently around more clearly.

August 20, 2015 at 4:30 PM - (Third Thursdays)  Vollis Simpson,the Artist Who Rejuvenated a Town with Gerret Warner and Mimi Gredy    Vollis Simpson was a mechanic and house mover who built some ornamental wind mills in a field next to his workshop. They got attention from townspeople and visitors, and then from news organizations and museums worldwide. Mimi Gredy and Gerret Warner, documentary filmmakers from Chapel Hill, filmed Vollis and his work from 2010 until his death at 94 in 2013, and they continue to document the restoration and installation of his work in its new home. Their lecture and film tell the story of this original NC artist and his unique creations.

August 22, 2015 from 1 - 4:30 PM  - Duet Harmony Singing Workshop with Mark Weems and Julee Glaub Weems of Little Windows. Learn some of the specific techniques and nuances of duet singing and how to adapt harmonies to different songs and various genres such as Appalachian, Irish, gospel, and country.

Ongoing Events:

Every Tuesday -  3:30 - 4:30 PM  Afternoon Art Club    Ages 6-10
Every Thursday -  1-2pm and 3-4pm   Doodlebug Club    Ages 3-5
Every Thursday - 4 PM    Docent Tour     Free with a paid admission
Every Saturday -  2 PM    Docent Tour     Free with a paid admission

The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM) is located at  159 Chestnut Street in Blowing Rock NC.