Random Arts: The Hub of Creativity in Saluda NC

Spring has arrived in Saluda NC and along with it an inventory of brightly colored linens and the lighter fabrics that are perfect for spring. Soft chambray blues and white set the tone this spring making it soft and and comfortable for warmer months ahead. Slip on a long sweater for cooler nights or trips to the market, movie or dining out.

Stop by and browse through a dazzling display of fun and fanciful frocks  and touch, feel and try on something new. You deserve it!

If you are looking for summertime creativity, you will most certainly find it at Random Arts. You will discover workshops offered in watercolor, gouache, book arts, lettering, calligraphy, painting, collage and much more.

 Upcoming Workshops 

May

Tues. 15th - Zen@Ten Open Group, No fee, No registration

Wed. 16th  Monthly Book Arts Workshop - 

DJ Gaskin

Long Stitch book with Gelli Plate Covers.  1-3 $45

Beginners welcome & all supplies are included!

Sat. 19th - BIG Outdoor Arts and Crafts Supplies 

Flea Market 10am till 3pm

Fri. 25th  Brush Stroke Lettering with Catherine Langsdorf

This is part 1 of a 2 part series. 1:00 till 3:30

$80. for both sessions (2nd session is June 1st )

"It Takes A Village" Recycled House Book

June

Fri. 1st - Brush Stroke Lettering with Catherine Langsdorf

This is part 1 of a 2 part series. 1:00 till 3:30

Sat 2nd - It Take a Village Recycled House Workshop. 10 AM - 4 PM. What do muffin mixes, quinoa & rice mixes & brown sugar have in common?  - They all come in boxes of ideal size to make a book from recycled materials!  We'll cut our box into the shape of a house, cover with tissue or collage papers, then stitch text pages from used brown paper bags. After adding unique collage elements, you'll have a special gift for a journal writer, a guest book or a great place to record your own thoughts, sketches or ideas. Makes a great gift  or memory book. Only $80. for a full day instruction and some supplies are necessary. Beginners welcome.

Tues. 5th - Zen@Ten Open Group, No fee, No registration

Fri. 15th Little House On The Hill Hand Stitched Collage 

with Susan Edmonson - 

  "Hand Stitched mini fabric collage" from 10am till 4pm   $80.

Seeds and Pods

Sat. 16th Seeds and Pods with Susan Edmonson

"Hand stitched mini fabric collage" from 10am till 4pm $80.

Tues. 19th Zen@Ten Open Group, No fee, No registration

Wed. 20th - Monthly Book Arts Workshop

Learn to"play the accordion book"with DJ Gaskin

1-3 $45

Beginners welcome and; all supplies are included!

Sat. 23rd - Have Fun Solving the Perspective Predicament 

with Miriam Hughes 10-Noon $45. Beginners Welcome

Sat. 23rd - Watercolor your Perky Pet 

with Miriam Hughes  1:00 till 3:30 $45. Beginners Welcome

* * * * * * 

Registration information

*Payment for workshops is required at time of registration.

*You may email us for workshop availability or

call us at the shop 828-749-1165

*We accept Visa, M/C, Amex, Paypal, check or cash.

*****

Random Arts is located at 481 Louisana Avenue in Saluda NC

Upcoming Events at The Asheville Art Museum

May's First Friday Events

 

Friday, May 4
Asheville Art Museum On the Slope - 175 Biltmore Avenue  in Asheville NC  Free!

 

Art Break: Turning Traditions | 12pm

Join us for an Art Break to discuss Turning Traditions, an installation that features the amazing work of Edward, Philip, and Matt Moulthrop, who represent three generations of Southern woodturners. Their minimalist works capture and explore the eccentricities of wood.

First Friday Art Walk | 5-8pm  

The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to be a part of the Downtown Asheville Art District’s First Friday Art Walks occurring the first Friday of every month April through December. On these evenings, the Museum offers light refreshments and drinks, and the opportunity to view the current exhibition during extended hours from 5-8pm. Currently on view: Crafting Abstraction and Turning Traditions. Our Museum Shop is also open!

Film Screening: Craft in America: Family | 6pm
Craft in America promotes and advances original handcrafted work and inspires people of all ages to pursue their own creativity. Family explores the creative environments and personal dynamics of four families of craft artists and asks: Is talent inherited? What is it like to live in a household where objects are made by hand? In this episode, President Jimmy Carter shares stories of Ed Moulthrop, a fellow Georgian who was known as the “father of modern woodturning.” Meet Ed’s son Philip and grandson Matt, who both carry on the family tradition. 

Mother's Day sale in the Museum Shop
30% off scarves now through May 13

 

 

 

Mother's Day is May 13! Visit us at our Museum Shop On the Slope at 175 Biltmore Avenue  through Sunday, May 13 and receive 30% off all of the beautiful scarves we have in the Shop. You may also purchase online! Visit the online Shop -- through May 13 you may use the code CELEBRATEMOM and receive 30% off any scarf.

 

Upcoming Events: 

During construction, the Museum is continuing an active schedule of programming On the Slope and elsewhere in our community.

Kids' Programs
-- After School Art Adventures
-- Storytime & Art
-- Summer Art Camp!

Art Break
Turning Traditions
May 4, 12pm
Asheville Art Museum On the Slope

First Friday Art Walk
Film Screening | Craft in America: Family
May 4
Film screening: 6pm
Extended Museum hours: 5-8pm
Asheville Art Museum On the Slope

Spring Workshops
Not Flat: Assemblage
May 19
Transparent Challenge: How to Draw Glass
June 16

Summer Workshops
Alchemy: Image Transfers
July 14
Delicious Ambiguity: An Uncertainty Workshop for Uncertain Times
August 11  

Annual Madison County Arts Council Moved to this Weekend

Due to the significant snowfall, the Madison County Arts Council's Annual Holiday Sale will be held on December 15 and 16, 2017 at 31 N Main Street in Marshall NC.

Find additional Mountain Christmas Crafts 

on our NC Mountains Craft Guide

Blowing Rock Art and History Museum Presents Scholars and Scones: Cecil and Maud in the Laurel Valley

December 7, 2017 from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM -  Scholars and Scones: Cecil and Maud in the Laurel Valley. Join ballad singer and storyteller Joe Penland as he discusses the journey of song collectors Cecil Sharp and Maud Karpeles, who collected ballads in western North Carolina in 1916.

This talk will complement BRAHM's exhibition of the historic photographs taken by Sharp on his journey through Appalachia.Complimentary breakfast goods and locally-brewed coffee will be served.  Free for members, $5 for non-members.

Joe Penland has appeared at numerous festivals, toured Great Britain eight times, and has been awarded the coveted Bascom Lunsford Award, named for his cousin, the founder of the longest running folk festival in America, for his “significant contribution to preserving our mountain music."

photo courtesy of The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum

Cecil Sharp in Appalachia Exhibition - This is the first US exhibit of rare, century-old photos taken by British song collector Cecil Sharp. The photographs feature some of the singers Sharp visited during his travels. Cecil Sharp and his assistant Maud Karpeles collected variants of English bal-lads between 1916-1918; their collecting work began in Hot Springs, NC, with the help of Olive Campbell, founder of the John C. Campbell Folk School. By the end of their 46-week travels through North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and Ten-nessee, the pair had collected more than 1600 variants of English ballads collected from 281 singers.  Photos are on loan from the Country Dance and Song Society, with permission of the English Folk Dance and Song Society, Cecil Sharp House, London.

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

Christina Shmigel Returns to Penland School of Crafts for Spring Workshop

This spring, Christina Shmigel will bring her keen observations and relentless inquiry back to Penland School of Crafts, where she will teach the eight-week concentration Sculpture with Fierce Intention. The workshop is for students with an ongoing studio practice who are eager to uncover the “why?” behind the work they make. It will take place in the Penland iron studio but will welcome a wide range of media based on student interest. Guest instructors Mike Rossi and John Watson will each join the workshop for a week to teach their specialties of steel and wood/plaster.

Sculpture with Fierce Intention will run March 11 – May 4, 2018. Registration is open now for all spring workshops.

 

Christina Shmigel, “The View in Fragments: Demolish” (left), 

“The View in Fragments: Nouveau Riche” (middle), 

“The View in Fragments: Green Sheath” (right) 

There’s a certain fearlessness to Christina Shmigel’s sculpture. Her pieces include traditional materials such as steel, wood, and paint, but they don’t stop there. From bright plastic pinwheels and cardboard to plumbing parts and found furniture, everything is fair game as a building block in her thoughtful, observant tableaus and constructions. Each finished piece is like a reflection of the world around her filtered through her keen eyes, skilled hands, and the particular quirks of her attention. There’s a fearlessness in that attention, too.

Christina comes to her sculpture practice with a particularly broad base of experience to draw on. Her BFA from RISD is in painting, and she followed it with an MFA from Brooklyn College that she describes as “more conceptual.” Later, she returned to school for a second MFA at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, this time with an emphasis on technical skills like blacksmithing and casting.

 

Christina Shmigel, “The City in Which I Love You: Da Shi Jie (Great World Sheathed)”

REGISTER FOR SPRING CONCENTRATIONS AT PENLAND
clay  |  letterpress  |  painting  |  metals  |  textiles  |  wood  |  sculpture
March 11 – May 4, 2018 

Penland School of Crafts is located at  67 Doras Trail, Penland, NC near Spruce Pine NC.  All information and photos provided by The Penland Sketchbook.

Southeast Animal Fiber Fair in Asheville NC

October 27 - 29, 2017   Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair  Hosted by the  Western North Carolina Agricultural Center, in the McGough Arena,  The event includes 100’s of animals, crafters, workshops and demonstrations,  See spinning, knitting, weaving, felting and much more. Join a workshop class to improve your skills or just enjoy browsing and shopping the beautiful and unique apparel and wearable art at SAFF.

Free demonstrations take place all the time at the Fair. Watch as vendors and other festival-goers spin, knit, weave, crochet and felt throughout the event. At particular times, vendors will demonstrate a special technique.

Throughout the weekend you can try your hand at weaving with the WNC Fiber Handweavers Guild. They’ll have looms set up near the main entrance of the Davis, In the long hall that runs from the atrium area near the information desk. Experienced weavers will be on hand to answer your questions as you try out the fascinating transformation from yarn to cloth. 

Fri. and Sat. 9:00AM-6:00PM, Sun. 9:00AM-4:00PM, Admission $5 per day10 for all 3 days, Youth under 13 yrs. old free.

Get more information about Asheville events and festivals

 on our Asheville NC Visitor Guide

 

Ooh La La Curiosity Market Open 4th Of July Weekend

July 1, 2017   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. 

Learn more about Asheville 

Arts and Crafts Markets and Festivals

 on our Asheville NC Visitor Guide

Forging Futures exhibition opens Thursday

News from the Center for Crafts, Creativity and Design 

Current Exhibit:

Tie Up, Draw Down

On view: June 2 - September 2, 2017

 

Tie Up, Draw Down explores weaving as a source for experimentation across media, genres, concept, and scale. Of the fifteen contemporary artists included in this exhibition, many hybridize weaving technologies, weave "the wrong way," or adapt and innovate weaving processes to encompass new media. Others do not weave at all, but find a rich avenue of inquiry within aspects or stages of weaving's complex field.

Artists include: Polly Apfelbaum, Joell Baxter, Jen Bervin, Francesca Capone, Liz Collins, Marianne Fairbanks, Del Harrow, Sheila Hicks, LoVid, John Paul Morabito, Danielle Mysliwiec, Meghan Price, Molly Smith, Laurel Sparks, and Margo Wolowiec.

 

 

 

Forging Futures

On view at Blue Spiral 1 (38 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC 28801)

June 29 - August 25, 2017

Forging Futures surveys 24 emerging and established artists shaping the future of studio craft in this region. Their work represents the range of forms, techniques and materials employed to create handmade works of art, including functional and sculptural works in wood, metal, clay, glass, and fiber. 

Forging Futures was curated and organized by Blue Spiral 1 and The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Pursuing Excellence, the first survey documenting the rise and prominence of studio craft in the region. 

Artists include: Dean Allison, Alex Bernstein, Brian Boggs, Elizabeth Brim, Lisa Clague, Josh Copus, Heather Mae Erickson, Dustin Farnsworth, Jessica Green, Hoss Haley, Andrew Hayes, Eric Knoche, Stoney Lamar, Rachel Meginnes, Jaydan Moore, Zack Noble, Mark Peiser, George Peterson, Amy Putansu, Michael Sherrill, Tom Shields, Pablo Soto, Kathy Triplett, Hayden Wilson

10% of artwork sales will be donated to CCCD

 

Upcoming Events:

Free and open to the public, unless noted. $3-5 suggested donation. 

RSVP and share on Facebook

 

 

Spectacular Failure Panel Discussion

Thursday, June 29, 4 - 5 pm

Fine Arts Theatre
36 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC

Free and open to the public

REGISTER NOW

Three successful, highly regarded artists tell us about their biggest failures and how they use these setbacks as a tool to continue their work. Lisa Clague, Andrew Hayes, and Jaydan Moore provide information and inspiration for creative types everywhere. Exhibition opening reception to follow from 5-8 pm at Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC.

 

 

 

 

Why Craft, Why WNC? Lecture with Anna Fariello

Thursday, July 20, 6:30 pm

Blue Spiral 1
38 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC

Free and open to the public

REGISTER NOW

Anna Fariello, Research Associate Professor at Hunter Library at Western North Carolina University and Craft Revival Project Director, will reveal why craft has thrived in our region.

Teaching Craft Panel Discussion

Thursday, August 17, 6:30 pm

Blue Spiral 1
38 Biltmore Ave, Asheville, NC

Free and open to the public

REGISTER NOW

A panel of artists including Elizabeth Brim, Heather Mae Erickson, and 

Michael Sherrill will discuss the various methods of teaching a craft - from the classroom to the craft school to apprenticeships and DIY - and the pros and cons of each approach.

 

The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design 

 is located at 67 Broadway St., Asheville, NC 

 

 

Coaster Sale at Michael Kline Pottery

 

Michael Kline Pottery  

4062 Snow Creek Rd. Bakersville, NC 

2017 Front Street Arts and Crafts Show in Dillsboro NC a Big Success

Wonderful blue skies, great entertainment and over 60 multi-talented artisans brought out more than 3,000 people to Front Street Arts and Crafts Show in Dillsboro NC on June 17th.

The first of three 2017 festivals produced by the Dillsboro Merchants Association, Front Street Arts and Crafts Show filled not only Front Street but also Church Street, increasing vendor participation thereby providing a much larger selection of arts and crafts. Dillsboro Merchants also reported an upturn in business during the festival.

The second 2017 Dillsboro festival, Summer Arts and Crafts Market, is scheduled for August 19th, with vendor booths booked to capacity. Vendor booths for ColorFest on October 7th, the third 2017  Association sponsored Festival are going fast.

This report and photos provided by

Amy Ammons Garza

Co-Founder

Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, Inc.

29 Regal Avenue •  Sylva, NC 28779

Phone: 828-631-4587

Email:  violetamy@frontier.com

www.spiritofappalachia.org

www.storiesofmountainfolk.com

www.csabooks.com

The Art Museum's permanent address at 2 South Pack Square remains under construction with "The Museum on the Slope"open at 175 Biltmore Avenue for regular hours and special events.Admission is free during construction, but donations are welcomed to continue support of programs.

June 17, 2017 at The Asheville Art Museum: TIME WARP, the 2017 Benefit Gala.The event will be held at the Renaissance Asheville Hotel.

The evening includes:

• “Make It Yours” sumptuous cocktail dinner with wine, beer + signature cocktail
• Gourmet food stations to please every palate
• Live auction — fine art, travel packages
• Fund-the-Needs Lot: Cultivating the Future: Artists, Educators, Collectors, Museum Lovers and More
• Dream Bar + Chef Dinner raffles
• Centerpiece + Textile Art sales
• After Party on the Terrace with Zati & Meseret of Phantom Pantone
• Cash liquor bar available
• NEW! Meet-the-Maker VIP Hour at 5pm (additional fee) – includes valet parking

Make sure to dress your best in TIME WARP attire to have a chance to win the “Best-Dressed” award – a Glass Experience with Chaotic Joy Glassworks

GET TICKETS HERE
or call: 828.253.3227