Asheville Art Museum Announces Summer Skies Raffle

The Asheville Art Museum has announced the Summer Skies Raffle to benefit the Museum's vibrant exhibitions and educational programming. The Summer Skies Raffle offers seven exciting for a variety of summer getaway experiences.

Longing for white sands, blue skies and tropical beauty? The Summer Skies Raffle offers not one, but two packages for week-long Caribbean getaways: St. Maarten Skies or St. Thomas Skie.

Insprired by the region's thriving arts scene and want to get hands-on? Craft Horizons includes classes and workshops at John C. Campbell Folk School, Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts, Cloth Fiber Workshop, Asheville Bookwooks and DIY Woodworking Shop.

Building a collection of fine art? Add a stunning work of art by renowned Studio Glass artist Richard Ritter to your collection with Studio Skies.

Dreaming of a long weekend on the coast? Coastal Skies offers two separate three-night stays in Murrell's Inlet, SC and Historic Downtown Savannah, GA. Enjoy a private flight for two to one of these lovely coastal destinations.

Fascinated by the night skies? Explore the wonders of the cosmos, both here in Western North Carolina and with a week vacation in the dark-sky country of Ft. Davis, TX with Starry Skies.

Looking to show off the Ashevill area to visiting friends and family, or simply to enjoy all that the Land of the Sky offers for yourself? Mountain Skies provides outdoor adventures, arts and culture, shopping, dining, spa relaxation and more!

Tickets available: Online at www.ashevilleart.org, by calling the Museum at 828.253.3227 or in person at the Museum Front Desk. $100 per Ticket and only 100 Tickets Available Per Package. The Drawing will be held June 30, 2011

Proceeds from the Summer Skies Raffle will support the Asheville Art Museum's mission to engage, enlighten and inspire individuals and enrich community through dynamic experiences in American Art. The Asheville Art Museum is Western North Carolina's premier visual arts institution and its collections a unique resource in the city and the region. The Museum's programs engage diverse audiences of all ages in active exploration of themselves - their past and future - and their communities, through interpretation of American art since the beginning of the 20th century. Committed to being a vital force in the community and individual development, the Museum's focus is on lifelong learning through the visual arts for all audiences from pre-school children to senior citizens. The Asheville Art Museum is located at 2 South Pack Square in Asheville North Carolina.

River Arts District Open Studios

Visit the River Arts District  year around to meet artists in their studios. More than 65 artists are regularly open on Fridays & Saturdays. Enjoy lunch at one to the District's cafes or restaurants or finish the day at The Wedge Brewing Company with a cool one!

Friday, April 29
All day 10 am-4 pm :: Cloth Fiber Workshop
All day 10am-6pm :: Jonas Gerard Fine Art
All day 11am-4pm :: CURVE studios & garden
All day 11am-4pm :: Warehouse Studios
All day 8:30am-6pm :: Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts
All day 9:30am-3:30pm :: 310 ART (Riverview Station)

Saturday, April 30

All day 10 am-4 pm :: Cloth Fiber Workshop
All day 10am-6pm :: Jonas Gerard Fine Art
All day 10am-6pm :: Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts
All day 11am-4pm :: CURVE studios & garden
All day 11am-4pm :: Warehouse Studios

All day 9:30am-3:30pm :: 310 ART (Riverview Station)
9:00am John Mac Kah - Painting in Oils -Studio Classes
10:00am Print + Collage + Stitch: Layered Imagery on Cloth
10:00am Abstract Painting Workshop
10:00am The Art of Pit Firing with Nathan Neufeld
10:00am Nia Class at Nourish & Flourish at 10:15 am
1:00pm John Mac Kah- Open Air Painting - Landscape Classes

Sunday, May 1

All day 11am-4pm :: CURVE studios & garden
All day 12pm-6pm :: Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts
All day 1pm-6pm :: Jonas Gerard Fine Art
All day 9:30am-3:30pm :: 310 ART (Riverview Station)

Penland has openings for summer workshops

Enrollment for summer classes at Penland School of Crafts is already strong, but there are still quite a few workshops with available openings.

Here's a look at one of the classes available at Penland this summer: Multi-Layer Weaving, with textile designer and weaver Amy Putansu, begins with traditional double-cloth techniques, and expands to three or four layers or more on the loom simultaneously, creating sculptural and atmospheric cloth structures. You can incorporate "threads" of alternative materials on the loom to create even more atmospheric effects. Interested? 

Click here to learn more about this and other summer classes. 

Nature Photography Workshop at Chimney Rock

April 30 - May 1   Shutterbugs Nature Photography Workshop at Chimney Rock Park  An information-packed 2-day clinic with noted WNC photographer Les Saucier. Workshop includes classroom time, field time and critique. Les has more than 25 years of experience in photography.

Opening Reception for Photography Exhibit

April 29, 5 PM - 7 PM  The Land of Waterfalls Camera Club on Display at TC Arts Caldwell Street Brevard, NC holds its opening reception. The Transylvania Community Arts Council  hosts the photography exhibit by members of the Land of Waterfalls Camera Club. A second reception will be held on during the May 27th Gallery Walk from 5-9 pm.

Asheville Art Museum Opening Reception

Thomas Hart Benton, Approaching Storm

April 29   head for the Asheville Art Museum and the  Opening Reception, Artists at Work: American Printmakers and the WPA  The exhibit includes Prints created under the Federal Art Project, a unit of the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The era represents a very specific moment when art for the people was a true rallying concept that resulted in wonderful woodcuts, wood engravings, linoleum cuts, etchings, lithographs and the then new “silkscreen” process.

Random Arts at the 4th Annual Inspired Artist Retreat

May 11 - 14, 10 AM till 10 PM, Vendor Marketplace at Inspired Artist at the Embassy Suites in Concord, NC. Random Arts is shakin' it up this year at the 4th annual Inspired Artist Retreat and Vendor Marketplace with  hundreds of like minded souls eager to share and express their need for creative bliss. If you can't make the retreat come to shop instead and browse 8 other booths jam packed with goodies and ongoing demonstrations that will be sure to inspire you. The Embassy Suites is conveniently located at exit 49 on I-85. It's easy on and off for those traveling on the interstate.

Grovewood Gallery Hosts Easter Egg Hunt

April 23  The Grovewood Gallery and Grovewood Cafe in Asheville host the  3rd Annual Grovewood Easter Egg Hunt   Children ages 2-9 may participate. Cookies and lemonade will be provided for hungry hunters and the Easter Bunny will be stopping by for photos. What a perfect time to visit one of the premier galleries in Western North Carolina!

Easter at John C Campbel Folk School

April 23 Easter Egg Hunt at John C Campbell Folk School. Chocolate bunnies and marshmallow peeps will be hiding all over the Folk School grounds near Open House and the Log Museum. Yes, the time has come again for the annual  Easter Egg Hunt!   The Easter Egg Hunt will be held  at 1:00 p.m. and is free and open to all.

The area will be divided into three separate age groups: infants to four year olds, five to seven year olds, and eight and up. Please plan to arrive a few minutes early, as the Easter Egg Hunt will begin promptly at 1:00 and doesn't last long! Parking is available in the large gravel lot across from Keith House.The Folk School is located at 1 Folk School Road in  Brasstown  NC. 

Blowing Rock Art and History Museum News

This week is Blowing Rock Art and History Museum's first "THIRD THURSDAY " of 2011. The season kicks off with  "Pottery Traditions in the Mountains" with Janet Bolick Calhoun April 21  at  4  PM in the BRAHM office, currently located upstairs at the Martin House 1098 Main Street in Blowing Rock NC.  A reception and refreshments will follow the opening.

Janet Bolick Calhoun is a sixth-generation potter and owner of Traditions Pottery and granddaughter
of well-known Seagrove potter M.L. Owens.  Janet will discuss the role her family has had in the history
of pottery as both a highly collectible and utilitarian craft.

May 11  BRAHM is taking a group outing to see the Robert Henri exhibit at the MINT MUSEUM-UPTOWN in Charlotte.  The deadline to sign up for the trip is May 4 and total cost is $75 for travel, admission to the exhibit, a special tour by the curator and lunch at the Mint's on-site restaurant, Halcyon. A small, tax-deductible donation to BRAHM is also included. For more information about Third Thursdays or the Charlotte trip,  contact the Museum at 828.295.9099.

Skyuka Fine Art Presents Equestrian Show

April 20th from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM:  In honor of Tryon's own 65th Blockhouse Steeplechase race, Skyuka Fine Art is proud to present its first annual Equestrian Show. The show will open April 16th and run until the end of May. Ten artists will be featuring their equine art. Seven of the artists; Joan MacIntryre, Jill Silver, Charles Harpt, Rick Conn, Sarah Holmberg, Erik Olsen and Richard Christian Nelson are local. Two are from Greensboro; Jan Lukens and Tucker Bailey, and one is from Canada; Valerie Hinz.

This not-to-be-missed Equestrian Show featuring exceptional and professional artists in the equine art world will open the weekend before the 65th Blockhouse Steeplechase.  Business hours for the gallery located at 133 N Trade St Tryon  NC, are Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm

The NC Governor's Western Residence Calls for Permanent Art Collection donations

The Governor's Western Residence is looking for artists to donate items for their permanent collection in the home.  The Governor's Western Residence sits atop Sunset Mountain overlooking Asheville NC. The residence, currently being renovated, boasts an incredible view of the city below, promises to be a cozy and welcoming location for over 15 - 20,000 visitors a year.

The craft items will be on display and used in the home.  Already over $52,000 worth of furniture and decor have been donated by local companies.  The residence is currently looking for items to fill a curio cabinet, many wall pieces, a sliding piece to cover a flat screen TV when not in use, sconces, lamps, glassware, and dinnerware.  All of the items accepted for donation will be listed in a brochure and coffee table book about the residence.  To be considered for inclusion in the residence, please submit your items to Kaye Myers, Tourism Development Officer at kaye.myers@ncdcr.gov.  All accepted submissions MUST be delivered by May 1, so time is of the essence.

Artist of the Month at the Asheville Art Museum Shop

Museum Shop March Artist of the Month is Jason Hoyes

"I started blowing glass in 2006 while living in Cary, North Carolina. It was difficult at first but the challenge kept me interested and within two years I moved to the Western Carolina Mountains to pursue glass as a full time career. Over the past three years in Asheville, I have been able to make good friends and connections in the arts, as well as the lampworking community. I am inspired by my surrounding and am excited about the future projects I have yet to create." -Jason Hoyes

Heartwood Gallery Announces New Work by Joy Tanner

Heartwood Gallery located at 21 East Main Street in Saluda, NC:  Just in...new work from WNC potter Joy Tanner. Joy is a current resident artist at the Energy Exchange in Burnsville, NC. The Energy Exchange captures methane gas from the Yancey County landfill to heat greenhouses, fire a pottery kiln and glass blowing furnaces. The resident artists use this gas to produce functional and decorative objects.

John C Campbell Work Study Program

If you've taken a class at the Folk School before, you have probably shared the common sentiment of the students that a week flies by too fast! Why not consider a unique opportunity to be immersed in Folk School culture for nine full weeks?

The John C Campbell Work/Study Program is one of the original facets of the Folk School. Students live and work on campus in exchange for the personal enrichment of taking classes. The duration of the program is nine weeks, with six weeks of work, and three weeks of classes of your choice. Work is often physically demanding, so participants must be able to perform work such as gardening and other outdoor activities.

The Work/Study Program attracts all types of people -- from young people just out of school, to retirees looking for fun and rewarding experiences. For more information about the Work/Study Program and to download an application, click here. John C Campbell Folk School is located at One Folk School Road in Brasstown, NC

Basket Weaver Debra Mills will exhibit at the Bascom

The Cottage Craftsmen is pleased to announce the acceptance of basket weaver Debra Mills into the Bascom The American Still Life: Yesterday and Today. for their upcoming exhibition The exhibition will run from April 16 - July 4, 2011. An opening reception is planned for 5-7pm on April 16.

Debra Mills basketry may also be found at her unique shop at 44 Frye Street in Bryson City, The Cottage Craftsman.

"Contemporary Traditions in Cherokee Art" opens at The Andrews Art Museum

The new exhibit at the Andrews Art Museum is "Contemporary Traditions in Cherokee Art". The exhibit includes the art and crafts of the Cherokee Nation and will continue through April 29.  The Andrews Art Museum is located in the historic Valleytown Cultural Arts Center.

Peer-to-Peer Technical Assistance grant awarded to HandMade Small Towns by NC Rural Economic Development Center

HandMade will test a new approach to small town revitalization, one which uses volunteers as lead trainers and peer consultants, thanks to a new Economic Innovations grant from the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center. HandMade's asset-based, citizen-led community economic development techniques are expected to be shared with dozens of additional small communities throughout Western North Carolina and the state during 2011 and 2012.

Judi Jetson, Handmade Director,  will manage this training and technical assistance project, working in partnership with existing HandMade Small Towns, regional and state resource groups to identify success stories and the people behind them, and develop methods and incentives to share success with more people and places. Topics will cover hands-on, how-to examples of ways to make small towns unique and memorable such as renovating an historic courthouse, developing a cultural activity or exhibit, opening a gallery with work of local artisans and more. All will feature small town volunteers as trainers.

HandMade's business model for this Small Towns Institute will use peer-learning as a way to build a sustainable platform and to serve, at a modest cost, towns too small to have paid staff. Currently there are 12 towns actively participating in HandMade's Small Towns Program, and collectively they have created over 600 jobs, 300 new businesses and attracted $53 million in investment over the past decade. The vision behind this proposal is to create the same magnitude of economic growth over the next 10 years by leveraging the knowledge and power of hundreds of citizen leaders in small towns to plan and implement community development projects which create jobs. 

April at John C Campbell Folk School

The month of April is full of unique classes that celebrate what Spring has to offer. Spend your days outdoors identifying Southern Appalachian birds , learn how to keep bees , or grow your own mushrooms. Make use of studio time forging organic shapes  in iron, weaving on a small, portable loom, or choose from a variety of other traditional craft classes we offer.

Earth Week, April 17-23, presents us with the perfect opportunity to embrace the abundance of beautiful, natural, and useful materials around us.  Some great, eco-friendly classes this week include:

Gardening: Organic Gardening for Beginners
Paper Art: Recycle, Rebound Papermaking
Soap Making: From Soap to Nuts- the Natural Way
Woodturning: Out of the Woodpile

John C Campbell Folk School is located at 1 Folk School Road in Brasstown NC

Second Annual Art & Garden Bazaar in Tryon

April 30 -  The Second Annual Art and Garden Bazaar will be held on McCown Street in Downtown Tryon and is free to the public. Vendors specializing in plants and art for the gardens, will be selling flowers, shrubs, birdhouses, decorative art and accessories. 15% of sales will benefit ARTSCAPES, a project celebrating cultural landscapes and creating public art throughout the communities of Tryon, Landrum and Columbus.


The Bazaar is presented by Tryon Fine Arts Center and sponsored by Carolina Foothills Chamber Foundation in partnership with Polk County Extension Center, The Town of Tryon, Tryon Garden Club, Green Blades Garden club, and the Daffy Jills. Magnolia Garden Club and in conjunction with the Green Blades Garden Club 2011 Tour of Homes.

Only Two Spaces left for Encaustic Painting for Textiles Workshop

Saturday, May 7, 10 am - 5 pm, Cloth Fiber Workshop at 122 Riverside Ave., Studio D, Asheville NC.

 

You'll cover the basics of this ancient technique of painting with transparent and pigmented beeswax. Within the methods of encaustic painting, you'll direct your focus towards techniques with a textile sensibility. Students are encouraged to bring cloth materials and past projects to collage with.

 

Level of experience: all levels

Fee: $85 + materials fee

 

There are only two spaces remaining in this workshop!

 

To register: call 828.505.2958; stop by the studio, Mon-Sat, 10 am - 4 pm; or register online.

 

For the complete winter/spring schedule and workshop materials lists and fees, please see the Class Description page on our website.

Cloth Fiber Workshop: Commercial Pattern Fitting

April 8 - 9 Cloth Fiber Workshop presents "A Perfect Fit: Commercial Pattern Fitting" with Susan Stowell. This class will focus on altering commercial patterns. Bring two patterns: pants and jacket or blouse. You'll take body measurements, measure pattern pieces, make calculated adjustments, and cut patterns from muslin. Next you'll sew the muslin together in preparation for fitting. To complete your reusable master patterns, you'll make necessary adjustments, then redraw on fresh paper. You'll leave the workshop with two perfect fitting patterns! Level of experience: intermediate to advanced. Fee: $175. Cloth FIber Workshop is located at 122 Riverside Drive, Studio D in Asheville, NC

Featured Artists at Gallery Minerva

Gallery Minerva is located at 8 Biltmore Avenue in Downtown Asheville.

Anne Bachelier:
Works on Paper Original drawings by Anne Bachelier
have arrived at Gallery Minerva. Japanese ink, gouache and gilding on celadon aquarelle paper highlight the fine detail of Bachelier's masterful style. Each piece is archivally mounted and ready for framing. We look forward to sharing these with you. Photographed above: "IV".


Bernie Segal:
Asheville sculptor, Bernie Segal has completed his crowning achievement
with the debut of "Ursula", the largest of his stone bear series. With this delivery, the artist is hanging up his chisel to conclude his work in stone. Contact the gallery for more information on "Ursula" or her black bear cousin, "Infantia".

Ray Pottery Opens in Asheville's Historic Grove Arcade

Ray Pottery is opening this weekend in Suite 126 at the Grove Arcade in downtown Asheville NC. The Shop will sell the handmade work of husband and wife team Paul and Sheila Ray, clay artists from the Seagrove, North Carolina area. Work includes Home Decor, Dinnerware and Serveware.  Click here to see images of their work or learn more about their process.  The Grove Arcade is located at One Page Avenue in Asheville North Carolina.