The Museum recognizes Western North Carolina youth for their original artworks Award winners will be featured in a student exhibition in the Museum’s Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery and Multipurpose Space from January 24–March 25, 2024. All regional award recipients will be honored at a closing reception on March 21. The Asheville Art Museum and the Asheville Area Section of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) are the Western North Carolina (WNC) regional Affiliate Partners of the National Scholastic Art Awards. This ongoing community partnership has supported the creative talents of our region’s youth for 44 years. The WNC regional program is open to students in grades 7–12, ages 13-18, across 24 counties. “I’m thrilled to witness the incredible talent showcased in the 2024 Western North Carolina Scholastic Art Awards exhibition,” said Susan Hendley, School & Teacher Programs Manager at the Asheville Art Museum.  “This is a celebration of original works by students across the WNC region and highlights the profound impact of arts education.” The regional program is judged in two groups: Group I, grades 7–9 and Group II, grades 10–12. Out of more than 500 total art entries, over 200 works have been recognized by the judges; Gold and Silver Key awards are featured in this exhibition, with select Honorable Mentions displayed digitally. The 2024 regional judges include Victoria Bradbury, Associate Professor and Chair of New Media at UNC Asheville, Andrew Davis, Studio Technician and instructor at Winthrop University, and Jenny Pickens, a native Asheville artist and educator. Those works receiving Gold Keys have been submitted to compete in the 101st 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 2024 National Scholastic Art Awards. Visit the Museum’s website for more information about the student exhibition. Thanks to our sponsors, Jon and Ann Kemske, Russell and Ladene Newton, and Frugal Framer. Download Student Artworks

Images: Left: Minna Wright Citron, Squid Under Pier, 1948, color etching, soft-ground, and engraving on paper, edition 42/50, 15 x 17 7/8 inches, 2010 Collections Circle purchase, Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of Minna Citron/Licensed by VAGA at ARS, New York. Right: Dorothy Dehner, Woman #2, 1954, watercolor and ink on paper, 22 3/4 x 18”, courtesy of Dolan Maxwell.

The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce the upcoming exhibition American Art in the Atomic Age: 1940–1960, which explores the groundbreaking contributions of artists who worked at the experimental printmaking studio Atelier 17 in the wake of World War II. Co-curated by Marilyn Laufer and Tom Butler, American Art in the Atomic Age which draws from the holdings of Dolan/Maxwell, the Asheville Art Museum Collection, and private collections will be on view from November 10, 2023–April 29, 2024.

Atelier 17 operated in New York for fifteen years, between 1940 and 1955. The studio’s founder, Stanley William Hayter (1901–1988) established the workshop in Paris but relocated to New York just as the Nazi occupation of Paris began in 1940. Hayter’s new studio attracted European emigrants like André Masson, Yves Tanguy, and Joan Miró, as well as American artists like Dorothy Dehner, Judith Rothschild, and Karl Schrag, allowing for an exchange of artistic ideas and processes between European and American artists.

The Asheville Art Museum will present over 100 works that exemplify the cross-cultural exchange and profound social and political impact of Atelier 17 on American art. Prints made at Atelier 17—including those by Stanley William Hayter, Louise Nevelson, and Perle Fine—will be in conversation with works by European Surrealists who were working at the studio in the 1940s and 1950s. The exhibition will also feature a selection of domestic mid-century objects that exemplify how the ideas and aesthetics of post-war abstraction became a part of everyday life.

Bender Gallery Artists Featured in Asheville Art Museum Exhibition The New Salon: A Contemporary View The Asheville Art Museum will be opening their exhibit, The New Salon: A Contemporary View, on March 8 and it will run until August 19, 2024. The New Salon offers a modern take on the prestigious tradition of the Parisian Salon with the diversity and innovation of today’s art world. Guest-curated by Gabriel Shaffer, the show will include works from Pop Surrealism, Outsider Art, Street Art, and Graffiti genres.   Bender Gallery has been collaborating with the Asheville Art Museum to loan four paintings from three of our artists. The artists are Laine Bachman, Kukula, and Yui Sakamoto. Be sure to check out this special exhibition in downtown Asheville. Learn More Kukula, Impossible Voyage, oil on board, 48 x 24 inches Kukula (b. 1980, Israel) Nataly Abramovitch, better known in the art world as, Kukula, paints imagined worlds filled with elaborately dressed women in fanciful settings. The artist does extensive research on the layouts of paintings from the Renaissance and Rococo periods. Kukula subverts these images by depicting women characters in place of traditionally male positions and settings. Her characters are powerful, commanding, and have an air of indifference. Available Work Yui Sakamoto, Self Portrait, oil on canvas, 63 x 63 inches Yui Sakamoto (b. 1981, Japan) Our surrealist artist, Yui Sakamoto, will have two paintings featured including My Soul and Self Portrait. Self Portrait is still available from his recent solo exhibition at Bender Gallery. Standing in front of Self Portrait, one is immersed in the dual-worlds of Sakamoto’s Japanese and Mexican cultures. There is a sense of calm reflected in the repeating rose pattern, mixed with the uneasy realization that the coral, fungi, and otherworldly forms are what makeup the figure. Available Work Laine Bachman, Night Bloomers, acrylic on canvas, 18 x 24 inches Laine Bachman (b. 1974, USA) Our prolific Magical Realism artist, Laine Bachman, makes a feature in the exhibition with her painting, Night Bloomers. She has been hard at work making 17 new pieces for her solo exhibition at the Canton Art Museum in Canton, Ohio. The Canton show opens on April 28 and continues through to July 28, 2024. Available Work

Clear out your craft closets and make room for creativity and community! Gather all those materials and tools that are gathering dust and taking up space and bring them to the Art & Craft Supply Bazaar. Declutter your stash and remove the distraction of unfinished projects. Let’s get those supplies into the hands of someone who’s ready to use them.

Shop new and used art & craft materials and tools from sewing + quilting, jewelry making, printmaking, candle making, floral design, knit + crochet, and more!

March 15-17 from 11:30AM – 8PM daily at plēb urban winery 289 Lyman St, Asheville, NC 28801

Mean Pies Pizza will be serving delicious freshly milled pan pizza from 11:30am-7pm. And Robert’s Totally Rad Trivia will be quizzing our pop culture knowledge Sunday at 4pm.

For those interested in selling, we’re looking for new and used craft materials and tools; that unopened watercolor palette, the cut of vintage fabric, the half used screenprinting ink (that’s still good), or those too pretty to throw away scraps of paper you bundled (perfect for a collage artist). For more info and to sign up, visit: https://rb.gy/krov01

Jack’s Bluegrass Brunch kicks off every Sunday at 12 noon — with lively bluegrass tunes courtesy of The Jack of the Wood Bluegrass Brunch Boys from 1-3pm. Sip a Bloody Mary or Mimosa or a warm Irish coffee. Tasty brunch specials alongside our regular menu and 18 taps of rotating craft brews! Sláinte, y’all!

Sigal Music Museum’s current special exhibition, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred, highlights items from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, which hails from all over the world. Showing November 2023 – May 2024, Worlds Apart uses a diverse range of historical instruments, objects, and visuals to bring together musical narratives from seemingly disparate parts of the globe.

Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred aims to increase public access to historical instruments from around the world and improve visitors’ understanding of musical traditions at the global level. Expanding beyond the typical parameters of the Western musical canon, Worlds Apart seeks to expose audiences to musical instruments and customs that are often overlooked or exotified. The instruments and other exhibit materials will offer visitors new perspectives on global music and a chance to consider how music is used for prayer and leisure in cultures around the world. By celebrating these stories, the museum intends to further its mission to collect and preserve historical musical instruments, objects, and information, which engage and enrich people of all ages through exhibits, performances, and experiential programs.

Displaying various objects from the JoAnn and Frank Edwinn Collection, Worlds Apart: Musical Instruments from Secular to Sacred focuses on international musical instruments and cultures, celebrating rites and traditions with ancient histories and contemporary legacies. Frank Edwinn, a successful basso in the mid-20th century, studied and toured internationally, eventually settling in North Carolina, where he taught music at the University of North Carolina Asheville. Throughout his life, he purchased various objects from around the world, aiming to expose students, and himself, to the wide and wonderful world of musical instruments. This impressive collection occupies a unique position for educating audiences unfamiliar with the vast scope of global music.

And, UNCA’s Ramsey Library Special Collections is now processing the Edwinn’s papers and a few recordings that will be accessible next semester!

This St. Patrick’s Day, Wagbar is not just about the green on land but also about the joy in water! Alongside our festive celebration with wine slushies, drink specials, and delicious food from Trucking Delicious, we’re excited to announce a special treat: our dog swimming pool will be open for one day only before its full-time opening this summer!

Here’s what’s brewing for the day:
– **Wine Slushee Return**: Our beloved Wine Slushees are back for the day. Don’t miss out on this crowd-pleaser!
– **St. Patrick’s Day Drink Specials**: Enjoy themed drink specials all-day to keep the spirits high.
– **Annual Membership Raffle**: Drop by and get entered for a chance to win a year full of unforgettable Wagbar adventures.
– **Food by Trucking Delicious**: From 2:30 PM to 7 PM, indulge in the best eats on wheels.
– **Free Entry for All**: In the spirit of inclusivity, entry is free for both dogs and humans. Come one, come all!
– **Exclusive Pool Preview**: Dive into fun with our dog swimming pool, open exclusively for this St. Patrick’s Day. Get a sneak peek before it opens full time in the summer.

**Entry Requirements for Pooches**:
– Must be spayed and 6 months or older.
– Up-to-date on rabies, distemper, and bordetella vaccines. (Show proof of vaccinations on entry.)

Dress in your festive best, bring your furry friends, and make a splash this St. Patrick’s Day at Wagbar. It’s the perfect place to experience joy, community, and a little luck of the Irish – both on land and in water. Don’t miss this chance to soak up the fun before our pool opens for the entire summer season!

Let’s celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a splash, laughter, and wagging tails. See you and your four-legged companions for a day to remember!

By Joe Tracz, Music by Rob Rokicki
Directed by Shelia Sumpter
Lloyd Main Stage

Unleash the power of the Gods.

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is a high-voltage adventure that brings the beloved best-selling novel to life on stage. Join Percy Jackson, the teenage demigod, on an epic quest filled with humor, mythological marvels, and catchy rock-infused songs. With themes of friendship, self-discovery, and embracing uniqueness, this electrifying musical is a must-see for all ages. Mark your calendars now and be prepared to be swept away into a world where legends come to life!

Suitable for all Audiences.

Directed by Angie Flynn-McIver

RIVETING | THOUGHT-PROVOKING | DARK COMEDY

A charming devil arrives in the quiet village of Edmonton to bargain for the souls of its residents in exchange for their darkest wishes. Elizabeth should be his easiest target, having been labeled a “witch” and cast out by the town, but her soul is not so readily bought. As the devil returns –and returns again– to convince her, unexpected passions flare, alliances are formed, and the village is forever changed.

Content advisory: strong language, staged violence

Guests will meet at Dssolvr (63 N. Lexington Ave., Asheville, NC 28801) and then depart with their treasure map on a walking team scavenger hunt where they will use their minds and feet to follow St. Patrick’s Day themed clues, solve puzzles, and crack codes to find and unlock the treasure chest for a grand prize!

The hunt involves walking a up to 2.0 miles in total and will take place rain or shine, so long as the weather does not become dangerous. The hunt typically takes about 60 minutes to complete.

Children under 10 years old are welcome to participate for free with the purchase of an Adult ticket.

Old Farmer’s Ball hosts family dances and waltzes at the Harvest House Community Center.

Yaniv Attar, conductor
Hector Del Curto, bandoneón
Lili Boulanger: D’un matin de printemps
Astor Piazzolla: Concerto for bandoneón
Modest Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

D’un matin de Printemps (Of a spring morning) was the last piece Lili Boulanger ever wrote. On the list of composers like Schubert and Mozart who died too young, Lili succumbed to tuberculosis in 1918 at just 24 years old. While the composer was physically frail, this piece demonstrates her inner strength and transcends pain with its vitality and joy. Fly, Lili, fly.
Tango revolutionary Astor Piazzolla was just nine years old when his family gave him a beautifully wrapped gift box that he hoped would contain a toy. He was thoroughly disappointed when he opened it and found a bandoneón inside. Lucky for us, he took to it after all and wrote Concerto for Bandoneón in 1979. Many say it is his very best work. An expert in tango and the work of Piazzolla, GRAMMY-winner Hector Del Curto has traveled the world as a soloist.
The most recognizable tune from Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures is by far “The Great Gate of Kiev.” If you’re like us, you wonder: what is this gate? Are there pictures? And the answer is no. The gate is a figment of dear Modest’s fertile imagination, which doesn’t make it any less majestic and arresting, of course. Maybe more. And especially when you consider he wrote this, one of the most performed orchestral works of all time in just three weeks. Come hear why the greats like Mussorgsky are great for a reason.

CLICK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR & GUEST ARTIST

Celebrate Pi Day at UNC Asheville’s annual fun-run on March 17, starting at 3:14 p.m. sharp. Whether you prefer to run, walk, skip, or trot the 3.14-mile distance, come take part in honoring the mathematical marvel that is Pi at Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd Asheville, NC 28806.

This event is open to all members of the public, with a registration fee of $10 for students and $20 for all other participants. Beginning and concluding at the Picnic Shelter in Carrier Park, participants will be greeted with delicious Pi(e) at the finish line!

All proceeds from the event will support the Asheville Initiative for Math at UNC Asheville, including the Marvelous Math Club. The Marvelous Math Club uses math as a catalyst to build leadership skills, create community, and provide a space where elementary school students can grow academically and socially. Join us for a day of fun and meaningful support for math education in our community!

Jack’s long-running Traditional Irish Music Session is the perfect way to enjoy the Celtic-influenced sounds of talented pluckers from all over WNC & further afield! Stop in to enjoy a pint or afternoon Irish coffee with the music! Sláinte!

Every Sunday Modelface Comedy brings you the best comedians from all over the country. This weekend we have a wee St. Patrick’s Day show

Standup Comedy celebrating St. Patty’s Day at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company with Ryan Cox Featuring
Jason Webb,
Cheney Goodson & Sarah Love with a comedy open mic. Get dinner drinks and laughs. Tickets at https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/buy-tickets
Contact Michele at [email protected] for more info

Standup Comedy celebrating St. Patty’s Day at Asheville Pizza & Brewing Company with Ryan Cox Featuring
Jason Webb,
Cheney Goodson & Sarah Love with a comedy open mic. Get dinner drinks and laughs. Tickets at https://www.ashevillebrewing.com/buy-tickets