Upcoming events and things to do in Asheville, NC. Below is a list of events for festivals, concerts, art exhibitions, group meetups and more.

Interested in adding an event to our calendar? Please click the green “Post Your Event” button below.

Saturday, February 12, 2022
Van Gogh Alive at Biltmore Estate
Feb 12 all-day
Biltmore Estate

See the source image

Various times

His masterworks have been displayed around the world for over a century… but never like this. Described as “an unforgettable multi-sensory experience,” Van Gogh Alive is a powerful and vibrant symphony of light, color, sound, and scent that compels you to leave the world behind and immerse yourself in Van Gogh’s paintings. Simultaneously enchanting, entertaining, and educational, Van Gogh Alive stimulates all the senses and opens the mind.

Volunteer at Spring Conference!
Feb 12 all-day
online
Volunteer at Spring Conference!
We work hard to make the Spring conference available to all. We’re excited to offer the opportunity to volunteer in exchange for a weekend and/or pre-conference pass. We truly couldn’t do this without our spectacular volunteers! Nearly 200 of you will make this conference a success.
We are still finalizing the volunteer opportunities available at the 2022 Spring Conference & Market and will be updating our volunteer page as soon as possible! In the meantime, please reach out to our Spring Conference Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected].
WNC Nature Center Running of the Goats 5K Race Volunteer
Feb 12 @ 6:00 am – 10:00 am
WNC Nature Center

Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?

Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.


The Friends of the WNC Nature Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Asheville, North Carolina.  The Friends of the WNC Nature Center create awareness and provide financial resources in support of the Nature Center- Asheville’s Wildlife Park. The Friends are dedicated to providing the resources to support high quality growth of the WNC Nature Center and its efforts to educate the public about the natural history and ecology of the Southern Appalachians Mountains.

We are looking for volunteers to support the Nature Center’s first in person fundraiser event of the year, Running of the Goats 5K and Nature Walk! 

Volunteer Responsibilities:
  • Assist with guiding runners
  • Checking in runners
  • Passing out snacks

Health & Safety

  • Strict COVID guidelines are in place to protect volunteers and runners.
Why does this matter? We have to limit the number of people attending each project. This helps everyone stay safe by following COVID-19 specific safety measures. Please understand that if you show up on-site without registering first, you may be turned away so that the agency can maintain safety procedures.  Safety is our top priority and we want to be sure needs are met while also being safe. Click HERE for current NC safety guidelines.

Hands On Asheville-Buncombe is not responsible for opportunities managed by partner agencies. If you are onsite at a volunteer opportunity and don’t feel safety guidelines are being followed, please connect with onsite project organizers and if not addressed, please let us know by completing our Volunteer Experience Form.

Additional Details

16 and older
Register by Apr 23, 2022
Is Outdoors
Inclement Weather Plan: Be prepared for all types of weather conditions
Is Wheelchair Accessible
Snacks provided
covid19 safety precautions in place
Red Cross Buncombe County – Blood Drive Volunteer
Feb 12 @ 7:00 am – 3:00 pm
The American Red Cross

Before you even begin thinking about volunteering, ask yourself – Am I well enough to volunteer?

Your safety and limiting the spread of COVID-19 is everyone’s main priority. We encourage you to review and adhere to the recommendations on the Buncombe County readiness site on how best to avoid COVID-19 and what to do if you think you might have it.


The American Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that helps communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from emergencies. Activities of the American Red Cross Western North Carolina Chapter include: Blood Services, Training Services, Disaster Services, and Home Fire Campaign.

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and one blood donation can save up to three lives. Help support lives in North Carolina by signing up to become a Blood Drive Volunteer today.  

Time Commitment:

Blood drives occur M-F and volunteers are expected to attend one blood drive a month to remain an active volunteer. This position is flexible as volunteers can sign up for shifts that work for their schedule and instructions for shift selection will be sent after responding to the opportunity.

Volunteer Roles:

  • Warmly greet donors and assist with registration in reception area.
  • Assist with initial intake and hand off through blood donation process.
    • Ensure donors have relevant information and all questions are answered appropriately.
    • Maintain proper sanitizing and cleanliness of reception and hospitality areas.
  • Attend canteen area in support of donors.
    • Thank donors for their contribution.
    • Alert staff immediately if a donor shows signs of feeling unwell.
  • Inform donors of current and upcoming donation promotions.
    • Make reminder/cancellation calls.
    • Reschedule donor appointments.
    • Perform follow-up activities as directed.

Volunteer Requirements:

  • Modeling excellent customer service behaviors.
  • Knowledge of technology needed for position (training provided)
    • Donor checkin, donor tablet, rapid pass, donor app.
  • Comfortable working with people from diverse communities and backgrounds
  • Dependable, punctual, and professional
  • Adhere to all Red Cross guidelines
  • Ability to remain calm in crisis situations
  • Adhere to CDC safety guidelines regarding COVID-19 precautions
  • Safety First! Our need for volunteers is constant and our guidelines reflect the latest CDC safety recommendations and follow the national and local government laws. COVID-19 vaccination will be required for in-person volunteer roles beginning January 3, 2022.
Show Some Love with Random Acts of Kindness Week: February 8th – 14th
Feb 12 @ 9:00 am – 10:00 pm
Hendersonville County NC
February 8-14, 2022
Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAK Week) is all about
showing the community some love! Use #hendoRAKweek
on pictures and posts so we can see the amazing things you
do! how to Participate:
Businesses
Select a non-profit in Hendersonville to
support during RAK week. Come up with
fun and creative ways to support your nonprofit. This could be leaving out a
donations jar, holding a drive for needed
items or volunteering your time.
Non-Profits
Find a local business sponsor for RAK
Week. Help your sponsor think of creative
ways to help raise funds, items or anything
else your non-profit is in need of. Use your
social platform to help spread the word.
Use this week to help spread kindness in
the community! Find businesses
participating in RAK week, support your
favorite non-profit, pick up trash in your
neighborhood, do something nice for a
friend.
The partners behind #LoveHendo are happy to announce that the week of February 8th through February 14th will be known as Random Acts of Kindness Week. The initiative will be in support of Hendersonville’s non-profit community. Local Businesses will be able to select a non-profit to support during Random Acts of Kindness week.
Businesses will be able to choose how they support the non-profit by setting out a donation jar, collecting items, or coming up with other unique ways to support the non-profit of their choice. Community members can participate by either finding a local business that is participating or doing their own random acts of kindness around the community.
Random Acts of Kindness Week was started in 2020 by Shelby Caruso, Mind Your Business (MYB) and Carrie Ann Chandler, Smart Start Partnership for Children. Shelby wanted a way for her fellow colleagues to celebrate Valentine’s Day by giving back and spreading kindness at MYB’s Office. Shelby chose Smart Start as the non-profit they would support that week and they were able to raise over a hundred dollars for the organization by donating a dollar for every act of kindness completed by MYB employees. For the 3rd annual celebration, organizers have reached out to the partner organizations behind the #LoveHendo effort, the Henderson County Chamber of Commerce and Friends of Downtown Hendersonville, to include Random Acts of Kindness Week in the #LoveHendo efforts.
Tours: Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site
Feb 12 @ 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

Old Kentucky Home -The Thomas Wolfe Memorial

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

American Novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)

Considered by many to be one of the giants of 20th-century American literature, Thomas Wolfe immortalized his childhood home in his epic autobiographical novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe’s colorful portrayal of his family, his hometown of “Altamont” Asheville, North Carolina, and “Dixieland” the Old Kentucky Home boardinghouse, earned the Victorian period house a place as one of American literature’s most famous landmarks.

House tours are offered daily at half past each hour. Last tour leaves at 4:30 pm.
Group tours by reservation.

Adult – $5.00
Student (ages 7-17) – $2.00
Adult Group (10+) – $2.50 each
Student Group – $2.00 each
6 & under – Free

Hours of Operation

9:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday – Saturday
Sunday & Monday: CLOSED
Closed State Holidays

ADULT CONTEMPORARY DANCE CLASS WITH STEWART/OWEN DANCE
Feb 12 @ 9:30 am – 10:45 am
Henry LaBrun Studio

Led by Stewart/Owen Dance Co-Directors, Vanessa Owen and Gavin Stewart, this open level adult contemporary dance class gradually awakens the body and senses through guided improvisation and a follow along warm-up, followed by foundational across-the-floor exercises and center-work combinations. All experience levels welcome!

In person: $10, pay at the door

Online: $7 suggested donation, contact [email protected] for class link and details.

About Stewart/Owen Dance: Gavin Stewart and Vanessa Owen, a husband and wife duo, are the co-directors of Western North Carolina based Stewart/Owen Dance. Their choreography has been presented by festivals and companies across the U.S., and their careers have most notably taken them around the globe on fifteen U.S. State Department tours to teach, perform and choreograph contemporary dance with Washington D.C. based Company E. In 2017 they made North Carolina their home base where they work towards building a sustainable community for professional dance artists to set roots. They have choreographed music videos for artists such as Moses Sumney, Sylvan Esso and Ben Phantom. Gavin and Vanessa won the Audience Choice Award at the NYC Dance Gallery Festival 2018, were commissioned as Dance Gallery 2019 Level UP Artists, are recipients of a McDowell Regional Artist Project Grant, a North Carolina Artist Support Grant and were voted “Artists Who Most Pushed the Boundaries with the Human Body” by 2020 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival. Since the pandemic, they have focused on producing COVID-conscious dance experiences for live audiences, including drive-up performances and a guided walk-along dance exhibit presented in residence with Asheville’s beloved Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.

ASAP Farmers Market Open Year-Round
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
A-B Tech Community College
  • Averaging 45 vendors each week with more than two dozen produce farms, half a dozen bakers, several meat and cheese producers, coffee, and a wide variety of artisan and prepared foods.

  • Three weekly farmers tailgate markets in Buncombe County will operate through the winter in 2022. Though smaller, these markets will continue to offer the freshest seasonal produce in addition to meats, eggs, cheeses, bread, beverages, and artisan foods. Expect to see storage crops, like sweet potatoes, potatoes, and winter squash, plus cold-weather veggies like turnips, radishes, and dark leafy greens.

    Buncombe County farmers markets with weekly dates January to March are:

    • River Arts District Farmers Market, outdoors and indoors at Plēb Urban Winery, 289 Lyman St., Wednesdays, 3–5:30 p.m. Two dozen weekly vendors, including two produce farms, mushrooms, cheese, bread and baked goods, and more.

    • Weaverville Tailgate Market, indoors at Weaverville Community Center, 60 Lakeshore Dr., Wednesdays, 3–6 p.m. Bread, cheese, and fermented food makers alongside a small lineup of craft and artisan vendors.

Asheville Outlets Announces February Cultural Marketplace Pop-Up in Celebration of Black History Month
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Asheville Outlets has announced a February Cultural Marketplace Pop-Up in celebration of Black History Month to be held on Saturdays, February 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2022 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Suite 348 near Gap Factory. The Cultural Marketplace will feature over twenty vendors offering original art, handmade apparel, health, wellness and beauty products, jewelry, candles, and one-of-a-kind gift items. The Cultural Marketplace is a collaboration between Noir Collective AVL, the Center for Participatory Change (CPC), and the YMI Cultural Center. For more information, visit shopAshevilleOutlets.com.

Cultural Marketplace Pop-Up to Celebrate Black History Month in Suite 348 next to Gap Factory
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Outlets in Suite 348 next to Gap Factory

Cultural Marketplace Popup

 Asheville Outlets has announced a Cultural Marketplace Pup-Up in celebration of Black History Month to be held on Saturdays, February 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in Suite 348 next to Gap Factory. The Cultural Marketplace will feature over twenty vendors offering original art, handmade apparel, health, wellness, and beauty products, jewelry, candles, and one-of-a-kind gift items. 

 

“We thank the YMI Cultural Center, the City of Asheville, and Asheville Outlets for this opportunity during Black History month,” says alexandria monque ravenel and Ajax Ravenel co-owners of Noir Collective AVL.

The Cultural Marketplace is a collaboration between Noir Collective AVL, Center for Participatory Change (CPC), and YMI Cultural Center. 

 

Vendors will include Wintress Daughter Soaps, Jenny Pickens, LLC, Makeba Loving Hands, Heart/Soul Apparel, It’s Amira M, LLC, The Body & Temple Co., Black Diamond Enterprise, Peculiar Persona, Counsel to the Entrepreneur, From the Ashes Cultural Arts & Counseling, Livauskendai & Co., Rehab Project, and more.

Farm Dreams Workshop ——ONLINE
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Creekside Farm
Farm Dreams is a one-day, entry-level workshops to help you plan out and maximize the usage of your land.
Farm Dreams is oriented towards those who would like to begin to market farm products.
Healthy Food Drive for MANNA FoodBank
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Outlets


Items of need include green tea, low-sodium canned vegetables, canned tuna and chicken, low salt nuts, no sugar added fruits, shelf stable milk, whole grain pasta, brown rice, oatmeal, canola & olive oil, peanut butter, low sodium soups, canned and dried beans, low sugar cereals, granola bars and popcorn. Collection bins will be in the Asheville Outlets food court. Monetary donations can be made at MANNAFoodBank.org.

Mast General Stores are supporting MANNA FoodBank
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Mast General Store
Mast General Stores are supporting MANNA FoodBank in February. On Feb. 12 &13, they’ll donate $1 for every pound of candy sold or you can round up your purchase in store. Learn more.

Round Up in-store purchases to donate to local food banks

During the month of February, we are asking our customers in all Mast Store locations to round up their purchases to the next dollar to make a donation to our local food security partners. Over the course of last year, we your spare change has made a big impact. A few cents here and there resulted in donations totaling more than $50,000 to help our partners put food on our neighbors’ tables in 2020.

 

The Mast Store supports many causes throughout the year, but one of the most important ones to us is human needs. Of those needs, food is a basic building block. Without food, you can’t do well in school, perform your job, or take care of those you love.

This February, we invite you to share the love with a donation to one of the food security agencies we support … or one in your hometown. The need is great, but the reward is greater. Any amount will make an impact – imagine, what you might spend on a cup of coffee ($3) could provide nine meals or more for someone in need.

Starting Seeds Indoors with John Bowen
Feb 12 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
online

Starting Seeds Indoors with John Bowen

Master Gardener Volunteer, John Bowen,  will share his knowledge and expertise on how to get your seeds started and plants off to a healthy start.

This zoom presentation is in partnership with the Buncombe County Master Gardener Volunteers and Black Mountain Blooms Seed Lending Library.

Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Uncorked
Feb 12 @ 10:30 am – 3:00 pm
Great Smoky Mountains Railroad Depot

Passengers will enjoy a full service All-Adult First Class ride in our First Class cars with a private attendant and plush, well-appointed dining seating. A narrator will accompany the ride to present each pour to guests and share knowledge and history of the wines selected. Passengers on this specialty car will enjoy an exclusive sampling of cheeses and a surf and turf meal prepared fresh.

We have carefully selected our wine samples to accompany the meal. All passengers will receive a GSMR souvenir stemless wine glass, four samples of selected wine, and a dessert that’s perfect
for the season!

Uncorked is offered on the Nantahala Gorge Excursion departing on April 17, May 8, July 31, Aug 7, Sept 4 & Dec 31.

Tickets for this specialty experience is $139 per person (Adults 21+ only). Due to the exclusivity of this specialty car, tickets will be selling fast so make sure to reserve your seat today!

Need Tax Help? Buncombe Libraries Offer Free Assistance: Pack Memorial Library
Feb 12 @ 10:30 am – 2:00 pm
Pack Memorial Library

Do you need help preparing your taxes? If so, Buncombe County Pubic Libraries can help. AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, in cooperation with the IRS, NC Department of Revenue, Buncombe County Library System, and Council on Aging, Inc. will offer free tax preparations for taxpayers of low and moderate-income, with special attention to those age 60 and older from Feb. 1-April 15.

You will need an appointment to speak with a tax help aide. At your appointment, you can drop off your tax documents and you’ll be given another appointment in about two weeks to pick up your paperwork and completed tax form.

How it works

1. Pick up a tax record envelope and instructions at Black Mountain, West Asheville, Weaverville or Pack Library during library hours.

2. Complete the Intake/Interview Booklet in your envelope by answering all questions. Then sign and date the last 3 pages. Place all your tax forms and any information relating to your tax return in your envelope.

3. Make an appointment to drop off your Tax Record Envelope and meet with a Tax-Aide volunteer.

Pack Memorial Library

Saturdays, appointments available between 10:30am and 2pm
To make an appointment for Saturday tax help at Pack Library, email [email protected] with your name and telephone number. A volunteer will contact you to set up your appointment. At your appointment, a tax volunteer will check all documents and give you a follow-up appointment to pick up your completed tax return and documents in 1 or 2 weeks. This tax help is provided by UNCA.

2022 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards Exhibition
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Olivia Jones, Face Vessel, Ceramics & Glass, Silsa-Asheville High School, Grade 12. 2022 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards, Gold Key award.
The Asheville Art Museum has announced the regional award recipients of the 2022 Scholastic Art Awards and artworks will be on view at the Museum.
The regional program is judged in two groups: Group I, grades 7–8 and Group II, grades 9–12. Out of 540 total art entries, 190 works have been recognized by the judges, and Gold and Silver Key award-winning artworks are featured in this exhibition while honorable mentions will be featured digitally. The 2022 regional judges include local artists and educators Brandy Bourne, Jenny Pickens, and M. Paige Taylor.

Those works receiving Gold Keys have been submitted to compete in the 99th Annual National Scholastic Art Awards Program in New York City. Of the Gold Key Award recipients, five students have also been nominated for American Visions, indicating their work is the Best in Show of the regional awards. One of these American Visions Nominees will receive an American Visions Medal at the 2022 National Scholastic Art Awards. Award winners include students from public, private, homeschools, and charter schools in Buncombe, Burke, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Madison, McDowell, Rutherford.

Since the program’s founding in 1923, the Scholastic Art Awards have fostered the creativity and talent of millions of students, and include a distinguished list of alumni including Andy Warhol, who received recognition in the Awards when he was a teen.

National Gold Key medalists will be announced in March 2022 and honored during a special awards ceremony in June 2022.

For more information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit the Scholastic Newsroom: mediaroom.scholastic.com/artandwriting.

Citations (left to right): Wen Yaxuan, Shakivatou, Painting, Asheville School, Grade 12. 2022 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards, Gold Key award. | Gracie Hart, Fly, Drawing & Illustration, West Henderson High School, Grade 11. 2022 WNC Regional Scholastic Art Awards, Gold Key award.
About the Asheville Art Museum  
The Museum’s galleries, the Museum Store, Art PLAYce, and Perspective Café are open with limited capacity. The Frances Mulhall Achilles Art Research Library remains temporarily closed. The Museum welcomes visitors Wednesday through Monday from 11am to 6pm, with late-night Thursdays from 11am to 9pm. The Museum is closed on Tuesdays. General admission is always free for Museum Members, UNC Asheville students, active-duty military personnel with valid ID, and children under 6; $15 per adult; $13 per senior (65+); and $10 per student (child 6–17 or degree-seeking college students with valid ID). Admission tickets are available at ashevilleart.org/visit. Visitors may become Members at the welcome desk during their visit or online at ashevilleart.org/membership.
A Hand in Studio Craft: Harvey K. Littleton as Peer and Pioneer Exhibition
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Harvey K. Littleton, Amber Maze, 1968, blown glass, 8 3/4 × 10 1/2 × 6 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of Harvey K. Littleton.
Asheville, N.C.A Hand in Studio Craft: Harvey K. Littleton as Peer and Pioneer highlights recent gifts to the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection and loans from the family of glass artist Harvey K. Littleton. This exhibition places Harvey and Bess Littleton’s collection into the context of their lives, as they moved around the United States, connected with other artists, and developed their own work. This exhibition—organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator—will be on view in the Judith S. Moore Gallery at the Museum from January 19 through June 27, 2022.

Harvey K. Littleton (Corning, NY 1922–2013 Spruce Pine, NC) founded the Studio Glass Movement in the United States in 1962 when, as a teacher, he instituted a glass art program at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the first of its kind in the United States. He taught the next generation of glass artists—who taught the next—and his influence can still be seen today. But before he dedicated himself to the medium of glass, Littleton studied industrial design, ceramics, and metalwork at the University of Michigan and the Cranbrook Academy of Art in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He met his wife Bess Tamura Littleton, a painting student, at the University of Michigan. Over the course of their careers, Harvey and Bess collected artwork by their fellow artists and amassed an impressive collection from the early days of the Studio Glass Movement and the height of the American mid-century Studio Pottery Movement.

“This exhibition offers the viewer an exciting opportunity to see some of Harvey K. Littleton’s early work in ceramic and metal—directly from his family’s collection—before he began making art in glass,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “Best known for his glassworks, those will be on display alongside the work of his students and his peers making clear the influence he had on them and the Studio Glass Movement.” 

A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Rhiannon Skye Tafoya (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians), Ul’nigid’, 2020, letterpress (photopolymer and Bembo & Cherokee Syllabary metal type) printed on handmade & color plan paper with paperweaving, closed: 11 × 11 ¼ inches, assembled: 23 ½ × 11 ¼ × 5 ⁵⁄₈ inches. Courtesy the Artist. © Rhiannon Skye Tafoya, image Rhiannon Skye Tafoya.
 Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art features over 50 works of art in a variety of media by 30+ Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI) and Cherokee Nation artists. The exhibition highlights the use of the written Cherokee language, a syllabary developed by Cherokee innovator Sequoyah (circa 1776–1843). Cherokee syllabary is frequently found in the work of Cherokee artists as a compositional element or the subject matter of the work itself. The exhibition will be on view at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian in Cherokee, NC from June 12, 2021 to October 31, 2021, and in the Asheville Art Museum’s Appleby Foundation Exhibition Hall from November 19, 2021 to March 14, 2022.

The Cherokee Syllabary is a system of writing developed by Sequoyah in the early 1800s prior to the Removal period. Through Sequoyah’s innovative work, Cherokee people embraced the writing system as an expedient form of communication and documentation. During the Removal period, the syllabary was used as a tactic to combat land dispossession. Cherokee people continue to use the syllabary as a form of cultural expression and pride, which is showcased in the contemporary artwork of the Cherokee Citizens in this exhibition.

“We’re pleased to host this gathering of works from contemporary Cherokee artists, who perfectly illustrate how our language is a living and evolving part of who we are. It’s moving to see how each artist finds inspiration in their own way from this language that connects us as Cherokee people,” said Shana Bushyhead Condill, executive director of the Museum of the Cherokee Indian.

“The Asheville Art Museum and the Museum of the Cherokee Indian have been long-term collaborators, and we are delighted to further our partnership by working together to manage an open call to Cherokee artists and subsequently curate this exciting exhibition of contemporary works that take inspiration from, celebrate, preserve and interpret the syllabary,” said Pamela L. Myers, executive director of the Asheville Art Museum. “On view at both museums, we hope the exhibition engages a wide and diverse audience in dialogue with these extraordinary works.”

A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator at the Asheville Art Museum, with assistance from curatorial consultant Joshua Adams (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians). Special thanks to S. Dakota Brown, education director at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and Alexis Meldrum, curatorial assistant at the Asheville Art Museum, for their support in the planning of this exhibition. This project is made possible in part by a grant from the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area Partnership, and sponsored in part by the Cherokee Preservation Foundation and Kevin Click & April Liou in memory of Myron E. Click.

Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians artists include Joshua Adams, Jody Lipscomb Bradley, Nathan Bush, Kane Crowe, John Henry Gloyne, Shan Goshorn, Luzene Hill, Christy Long, Louise Bigmeat Maney, Christopher McCoy, Tara McCoy, Joel Queen, Sean Ross, Jakeli Swimmer, Rhiannon Skye Tafoya, Mary Thompson, Stan Tooni Jr.,  Alica Wildcatt, and Fred Wilnoty.

Cherokee Nation artists include Roy Boney Jr., Jeff Edwards, Joseph Erb, Raychel Foster, Kenny Glass, Camilla McGinty, Jessica Mehta, America Meredith, Jane Osti, Lisa Rutherford, Janet L. Smith, Jennifer Thiessen, and Jennie Wilson.

About the Museum of the Cherokee Indian

Established in 1948, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian is one of the longest operating tribal museums. Recognized for its innovative storytelling, the Museum features exhibits, artwork, and hands-on technology that brings over 15,000 years of Cherokee history to life. Located in Cherokee, NC, the Museum is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Learn more by visiting mci.org.

GIRL SCOUT COOKIE SALES
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Asheville Outlets

Girl Scout Cookie Sales

Every bite counts!

The Girl Scouts will set up on Saturdays to sell Girl Scout Cookies near the entrance of Sportsman’s Warehouse.

Hours of Operation – Please note dates and times are subject to change subject to troop availability and weather conditions.

January 22 – March 19, 2022
Saturdays: 11am-5pm

Magnetic U: Speak the Speech
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
The Magnetic Theatre

Speak the Speech is an 8-week deep dive into the technical fundamentals that will allow you to speak Shakespeare with accuracy and clarity. Skills covered include:

Paraphrasing for accurate understanding
De-constructing and understanding Shakespeare’s grammar and syntax
Identifying operative phrases and key words to unlock the audience’s understanding
Physical and vocal techniques for clarity
Developing and deepening imagery
Using scansion to discover hints to pacing, character, and unwritten stage directions
Memorizing meaning rather than speech patterns, for flexible, spontaneous, and responsive performance

The first four weeks of this course focus on tools for comprehension and speech, with an emphasis on prose. The second four weeks move on to verse, combining skills from the first half of class with scansion and deeper image work.

Students who took an abbreviated version of the class in the fall of 2021 said:

“I gained a significant amount of information from it. The format was incredible and I have come away from it with a better understanding of Shakespeare.“

“Instructor’s knowledge, command of material, keen observational skills, and specific, articulate feedback made the class engaging and useful.”

“It was interesting to see the other people’s work evolve as they used the tools learned in class.”

“The two hours flew by and I often wished we could keep working past stop time.”

February 12 – April 2, 2022
Saturdays, 11am-2pm

Ages 16 and Up

Bio for the Instructor:
Melon Wedick studied theatre (and philosophy!) at Oberlin College. She studied Shakespeare performance with Paul Moser and Hal Ryder, and was a founding member of the Certain Players (Randolph, VT) and founding co-director of the Greenville Shakespeare Festival (Greenville, NH). She has performed with the Certain Players, Greenville Shakespeare Festival (NH), Black River Theatre Company, Shakespeare NYC, and the Montford Park Players, among others, and has directed productions of Hamlet, Measure for Measure, and Coriolanus. Now the artistic director of Nemesis Theatre Company, Melon is passionate about clarity and comprehension in Shakespeare performance.

Mindfulness Series: Love and Warmth
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Chimney Rock State Park

Image result for Chimney Rock Park

Join Namaste in Nature for a reflective meditation walk in the Park. De-stress during this peaceful hike focused on reconnecting with nature and yourself. Bring your partner or a friend and enjoy this mindfulness experience focused on the season of love and warmth.

Ruminations on Memory Exhibition
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Robert Rauschenberg, John from the Ruminations series, 1999, photogravure on paper, edition 3/46, publisher: Universal Limited Art Editions, Bay Shore, NY, 29 ½ × 38 7/8 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Robert Rauschenberg Foundation / VAGA at Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Ruminations on Memory contends with the act of remembrance and reflection, featuring a rare presentation of all nine prints from Robert Rauschenberg’s Ruminations portfolio, Judy Chicago’s Retrospective in a Box portfolio, and selections from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator, this exhibition will be on view in Appleby Foundation Exhibition Hall at the Museum from November 19, 2021 through March 14, 2022 in conjunction with A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art

Artworks are vessels for processing, recalling, and reflecting on the past. Artists often draw upon materials from their own pasts and grasp at fleeting moments in time in the creation of an object. For the viewer, observation of an artwork can draw out personal memories.

Artworks in a variety of media explore various ways of remembering, including individual memories that focus on the moments from an artist’s past; generational memory that looks back to one’s ancestors, whether recent or long past; and collective memory, wherein in an image might evoke bygone times that balance between constructed and real. Through these artworks that ruminate upon the past, viewers may discover the stirrings of their own thoughts and recollections prompted by the works before them.

Ruminations on Memory offers a unique opportunity to experience the entirety of a major print portfolio by American painter Robert Rauschenberg (Port Arthur, TX 1925–2008 Captiva, FL). Rauschenberg was a student at Black Mountain College in NC for the 1948–1949 and 1951–1952 academic sessions and for the 1951 and 1952 summers. His Ruminations series consists of nine color photogravures which were printed in 1999 and reflect on Rauschenberg’s early life, his friends and family, and the memories he held dear. The series represents especially significant mature work by Rauschenberg that looks back to his most formative moments as an artist including his time at Black Mountain College and the friendships and ideas formed there.

Also presented in the exhibition is an important series of prints by Judy Chicago (born Chicago, IL 1939). Five decades into her career, Chicago stands as one of the foremost artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, having committed to socially minded work, uplifting in particular experiences salient to her feminine and Jewish identities. Retrospective in a Box consists of seven prints and a portfolio created in collaboration with the master printers at Landfall Press, and provides an overview of her major motifs and ideas, including the print Spring the Dinner, a nod to her seminal 1979 work The Dinner Party.

In addition to the artworks from the Museum’s Collection, visitors will be able to experience Felix Gonzales-Torres’s “Untitled” (L.A.), on loan from the Art Bridges collection. “Untitled” (L.A.) is one of the artist’s iconic interactive candy installations where memories are engaged not only through sight but through sound, touch, taste, and smell as well.

Learn more about Ruminations on Memory and A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art at ashevilleart.org.

Stained with Glass: Vitreograph Prints from the Studio of Harvey K. Littleton Exhibition
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
 
Left: Thermon Statom, Frankincense, 1999, siligraphy from glass plate with digital transfer on BFK Rives paper, edition 50/50, 36 1/4 × 29 3/8 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Thermon Statom. | Right: Dale Chihuly, Suite of Ten Prints: Chandelier, 1994, 4-color intaglio from glass plate on BRK Rives paper, edition 34/50, image: 29 ½ × 23 ½ inches, sheet: 36 × 29 ½ inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Dale Chihuly / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Asheville, N.C.—The selection of works from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection presented in Stained with Glass: Vitreograph Prints from the Studio of Harvey K. Littleton features imagery that recreates the sensation and colors of stained glass. The exhibition showcases Littleton and the range of makers who worked with him, including Dale Chihuly, Cynthia Bringle, Thermon Statom, and more. This exhibition—organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator—will be on view in The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery at the Museum from January 12 through May 23, 2022.

In 1974 Harvey K. Littleton (Corning, NY 1922–2013 Spruce Pine, NC) developed a process for using glass to create prints on paper. Littleton, who began as a ceramicist and became a leading figure in the American Studio Glass Movement, expanded his curiosity around the experimental potential of glass into innovations in the world of printmaking. A wide circle of artists in a variety of media—including glass, ceramics, and painting—were invited to Littleton’s studio in Spruce Pine, NC, to create prints using the vitreograph process developed by Littleton. Upending notions of both traditional glassmaking and printmaking, vitreographs innovatively combine the two into something new. The resulting prints created through a process of etched glass, ink, and paper create rich, colorful scenes reminiscent of luminous stained glass.

“Printmaking is a medium that many artists explore at some point in their career,” says Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator. “The process is often collaborative, as they may find themselves working with a print studio and highly skilled printmaker. The medium can also be quite experimental. Harvey Littleton’s contribution to the field is very much so in this spirit, as seen in his incorporation of glass and his invitation to artists who might otherwise not have explored works on paper. Through this exhibition, we are able to appreciate how the artists bring their work in clay, glass, or paint to ink and paper.” 

STEWART/OWEN OPEN COMPANY CLASS
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
Henry LaBrun Studio

Led by Stewart/Owen Co-Directors, Vanessa Owen and Gavin Stewart, this class begins with full body conditioning followed by a series of technical modern exercises, and culminates in either phrase creation or Stewart/Owen repertory. Dancers are encouraged to modify for their own bodies and spaces! We recommend this class to experienced dancers who are looking for a fast-paced contemporary class that pushes their physical and mental boundaries.

In person: $10, pay at the door

Online: $7 suggested donation, contact [email protected] for class link and details.

About Stewart/Owen Dance: Gavin Stewart and Vanessa Owen, a husband and wife duo, are the co-directors of Western North Carolina based Stewart/Owen Dance. Their choreography has been presented by festivals and companies across the U.S., and their careers have most notably taken them around the globe on fifteen U.S. State Department tours to teach, perform and choreograph contemporary dance with Washington D.C. based Company E. In 2017 they made North Carolina their home base where they work towards building a sustainable community for professional dance artists to set roots.They have choreographed music videos for artists such as Moses Sumney, Sylvan Esso and Ben Phantom. Gavin and Vanessa won the Audience Choice Award at the NYC Dance Gallery Festival 2018, were commissioned as Dance Gallery 2019 Level UP Artists, are recipients of a McDowell Regional Artist Project Grant, a North Carolina Artist Support Grant and were voted “Artists Who Most Pushed the Boundaries with the Human Body” by 2020 Asheville Fringe Arts Festival. Since the pandemic, they have focused on producing COVID-conscious dance experiences for live audiences, including drive-up performances and a guided walk-along dance exhibit presented in residence with Asheville’s beloved Wortham Center for the Performing Arts.

The Wyeths: Three Generations | Works from the Bank of America Collection
Feb 12 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
N. C. Wyeth, Eight Bells (Clyde Stanley and Andrew Wyeth aboard Eight Bells), 1937, oil on hardboard, 20 × 30 inches. Bank of America Collection

The Wyeths: Three Generations | Works from the Bank of America Collection provides a comprehensive survey of works by N. C. Wyeth, one of America’s finest illustrators; his son, Andrew, an important realist painter; his eldest daughter, Henriette, a realist painter; and Andrew’s son Jamie, a popular portraitist. Through the works of these artists from three generations of the Wyeth family, themes of American history, artistic techniques, and creative achievements can be explored. This exhibition will be on view in the Asheville Art Museum’s Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall February 12 through May 30, 2022.

N. C. Wyeth (1882–1945) has long been considered one of the nation’s leading illustrators. In the early 1900s, he studied with illustrator Howard Pyle in Delaware. In 1911, he built a house and studio in nearby Chadds Ford, PA. Later, he bought a sea captain’s house in Maine and in 1931 built a small studio, which he shared with his son, Andrew, and his daughters, Henriette and Carolyn. The exhibition includes illustrations for books by Robert Louis Stevenson and Washington Irving as well as historical scenes, seascapes, and landscapes.

Andrew Wyeth (1917–2009) is one of the United States’ most popular artists, and his paintings follow the American Realist tradition. He was influenced by the works of Winslow Homer, whose watercolor technique he admired, as well as by the art of Howard Pyle and his father, N. C. While Andrew painted recognizable images, his use of line and space often imbue his works with an underlying abstract quality. The exhibition includes important works from the 1970s and 1980s as well as recent paintings.

Henriette Wyeth (1907–1997) was the eldest daughter of N.C. Wyeth and an older sister to Andrew Wyeth. Like other members of her family, her painting style was realist in a time when Impressionism and Abstraction were popular in the early 20th century. She studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and was an acclaimed portraitist, though perhaps not as widely known as her father and brother. Most notably she painted the portrait of First Lady, Pat Nixon, which is in the collection of The White House.

Jamie Wyeth (born 1946), like his father and grandfather, paints subjects of everyday life, in particular the landscapes, animals, and people of Pennsylvania and Maine. In contrast to his father—who painted with watercolor, drybrush, and tempera—Jamie works in oil and mixed media, creating lush painterly surfaces. The 18 paintings in the exhibition represent all periods of his career.

This exhibition has been loaned through the Bank of America Art in our Communities® program.

Virtual Lunch and Learn: Power of Partnerships with Hemlock Restoration Initiative
Feb 12 @ 12:00 pm
online
Stream at Sugar
                                                  Hollow

Through our various partnerships we can build stronger communities and create more sustainable solutions in our conservation work. Join us for this FREE virtual program to learn more about our partnership with the Hemlock Restoration Initiative and how we are working together to save hemlocks in the Southern Appalachians. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn how they can help their communities save hemlock forests that are currently being threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid.

Presented by SAHC Project Conserve AmeriCorps Stewardship & Volunteer Members Stephanie Long & Sarah Sussman and HRI Outreach & Landowner Support Manager Thom Green.

Winter Photo Contest – “Winter Trees”
Feb 12 @ 12:00 pm – 11:45 pm
Chimney Rock State Park

Image result for Chimney Rock Park

It’s the Year of the Tree in North Carolina State Parks, and we are encouraging guests to celebrate trees all year long! Start off in the winter months while branches are bare and capture some unique tree shapes or the beauty of frosty evergreens. You may win a prize for your efforts!

GREAT PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED TO 3 WINNING ENTRIES

1st Prize: The winning photo will be our Facebook cover photo for two weeks, and the photographer will receive two annual passes to Chimney Rock State Park, two boat tour tickets from Lake Lure Tours, and dinner for two at the Old Rock Café.

2nd Prize: After the first place photo, the second place photo will be our Facebook cover photo for one week. The photographer will receive two annual passes to Chimney Rock State Park and dinner for two at the Old Rock Café.

3rd Prize: The third place photographer will receive two adult day passes (or one family pack of day passes) to Chimney Rock State Park and dinner for two at the Old Rock Café.

CONTEST RULES:

  1. There is no fee to enter the contest. All photographs must be taken of Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park only in areas accessible to guests between January 1, 2022 – February 28, 2022.
    The contest is open to amateur and professional photographers.
  2. Up to three photos per person can be submitted via any of the following ways to be eligible to win:
    • Facebook: First, like the Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park page. Next, send us a private message including your contact information specified in rule #3.
    • E-mail: If you don’t have access to social media, you may email your digital photo with your contact information specified in rule #3 to [email protected].
  3. Every entry should be clearly labeled with the photographer’s name, city & state, a brief photo caption, an email address and the best phone number to reach you.
  4. Photos should be available at a minimum resolution of 1200 x 1600 pixels (1 MB minimum) to be eligible to win. Photos taken via smart phones, tablets and other mobile devices are welcome if they meet minimum requirements.
  5. For entries showing human faces, you must list their name(s) and have written permission from any photographed person(s) to use their image.
  6. Entries should reflect the photographer’s interpretation of the theme. Emphasis will be placed on quality, composition and creativity. All entries may be used in promotions of Chimney Rock and park-related activities.
  7. Digital images can be optimized but not dramatically altered with photo editing software. Black and white photographs are welcome.
  8. Finalists will be chosen by Chimney Rock staff and the winner will be voted on by the public. Decisions regarding winners are final.

Winners will be notified personally and announced on Chimney Rock’s social media. For more information, call 1-828-625-9611, ext. 1812 or email us at [email protected].

Public Tour: A Living Language: Cherokee Syllabary and Contemporary Art
Feb 12 @ 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Free for Museum Members or included with general admission

Today’s public tour is led by Shana Hill, touring docent.

PUBLIC TOURS

Join docents for tours of the Museum’s Collection and special exhibitions. No reservations are required.

Youth Studio: People + Places (Grades K–5)
Feb 12 @ 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Spend the afternoon creating people and places inspired by the portraits and landscapes in The Wyeths: Three Generations. Students will explore drawing, painting, and collage.

Please note:

  • Youth Studio is held indoors in the Museum’s John & Robyn Horn Education Center
  • Space is limited to small groups of students; face coverings and social distancing are required.

YOUTH STUDIO

Youth Studio is the Museum’s studio art program for children and teens! Students experiment and explore a variety of media and techniques through classes and workshops led by visiting artists and Museum educators. Classes meet 2–4 weeks and are designed for a deeper exploration of a specific media; workshops meet 3–5 hours and introduce a new medium or process. All materials are provided by the Museum. To be added to our Family Programs mailing list, click here. For more information, email Kelly Baisley, school & family programs manager, or call 828.253.3227 x133.

The Museum is committed to making our programs accessible to everyone, regardless of economic means. With support from the Walnut Cove Members Association, we are able to provide a limited amount of financial aid to help students who could not otherwise afford to enroll in our programs. Email Sharon McRorie, education programs manager, or call 828.253.3227 x124 to inquire.