Cherokee Gourd Artist Gathering

May 30 - June 2  11th Annual Gourd Artist Gathering   An event featuring exquisitely crafted gourd art. This year’s Cherokee Gourd Artists Gathering brings together collectors and exhibiting artists for a weekend of live demonstrations, classes, competitions and a spectacular art market offering stunning works of gourd art, materials, tools and supplies.

Come see how an inexpensive, traditionally utilitarian component of the Cherokee household is transformed into a piece of artwork. Admission is free.

For more information about Cherokee NC and Cherokee arts and crafts CLICK HERE.

Asheville City Market Open this Saturday

June 1   The Asheville City Open Air Market   will be open at the Public Works Building, 161 S. Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville NC and Town Square Blvd in Biltmore Park Town Square .  Find the the freshest, best-tasting food around and local artisan products in two locations for your convenience, downtown and South Asheville.EBT, credit, and debit cards are accepted.

Additional activities include live music, cooking demonstrations and food tastings from local chefs. The little ones will enjoy the  Kids Corner Market activities, and more.

Clay Day at The Folk Art Center in Asheville NC

June 1   From 10 Am - 4 PM  Clay Day at The Folk Art Center.   The the Southern Highland Craft Guild  celebrates ceramic arts with craft demonstrations and hands-on activities including the Annual "Make and Take" Raku Firing. Buy a $10 pot, glaze it and watch expert potters raku fire it for you.  Raku is a ceramic firing process which uses fire and smoke to create unique patterns and designs.

Other demonstrations include clay sculpture, hand building, surface design and throwing on the potter's wheel. Volunteers from Haywood Community College Professional Crafts Department will be demonstrating and assisting visitors with a try at the potter’s wheel.  Southern Highland Craft Guild member Cindy Billingsley will lead a collaborative sculpture project.  Members Becky & Steve Lloyd will demonstrate sgraffito on porcelain and wheel throwing.

Participating Artists include:

Steven Forbes de Soule, raku

Gary Clontz, raku

Lynn Jenkins, raku

Jan Lee, raku

Cindy Billingsley, collorborative sculpture

Ann Gleason, sculpture

Rose Mueller, sculpture

Rodney Leftwich, folk pottery

Becky & Steve Lloyd, wheel throwing and sgrafitto on porcelain

Janice MacDonald, mixed media figures

Hugh Bailey, folk pottery

Haywood Community College, wheel throwing

Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts, wheel throwing and surface design

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

Toe River Studio Tour next Weekend

June 7 - 9   Toe River Studio Tour   Grab the tour map and hit the road to visit over 100 artists in Mitchell and Yancey counties. This is one of the biggest and best Studio Tour anywhere, anytime.

Artists open their studios twice a year for the Toe River Studio tours. Enjoy meeting the artists in the premier craft destination in NC.