Beginning October 7, the three-hour documentary-styled art installation Question Bridge: Black Males will be on view at the Asheville Art Museum. This innovative transmedia project facilitates a dialogue between Black men from diverse and contending backgrounds, and creates a platform for them to represent and redefine Black male identity in America. The work will be on view during regular public hours from October 7, 2020 through March 15, 2021.

Question Bridge: Black Males is a project that explores critically challenging issues within the African American male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among Black men across geographic, economic, generational, educational, and social strata of American society. Question Bridge provides a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite, and puzzle Black males today in the United States.

Adonna Khare, Pool Party, 2015, carbon pencil on paper, 6 × 20 feet. Collection of the Artist. © Adonna Khare, image Phil Hatten.

An exhibition highlighting the works of John James Audubon juxtaposed with the work of 21st-century artists who continue his tradition of animal allegories and metaphors is currently on view at the Asheville Art Museum. The exhibition features more than 40 works and will be on display in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall through November 30.

The Asheville Art Museum presents Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture on view at the Museum November 4, 2020 through April 5, 2021. The 25 works in this exhibition—curated by associate curator Whitney Richardson—highlight the Museum’s Collection of sculptural ceramics from the last two decades of the 20th century to the present. Each work illustrates the artist’s ability to push beyond the utilitarian and transition ceramics into the world of sculpture.

North and South Carolina artists featured include Elma McBride Johnson, Neil Noland, Norm Schulman, Virginia Scotchie, Cynthia Bringle, Jane Palmer, Michael Sherrill, and Akira Satake. Works by American artists Don Reitz, Robert Chapman Turner, Karen Karnes, Toshiko Takaezu, Bill Griffith, and Xavier Toubes are also featured in the exhibition.

Best of all, Porch Portraits by Suzanne will donate $15 of every session to our great friends at Flat Rock Playhouse. My goal is to raise $15,000 for the Playhouse by the end of the year so any money over and above the price of $65 will go straight to them.

Perhaps most exciting, an extremely generous Playhouse donor has agreed to a MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN up to $36,000.18! This incredibly generous donation draws on the magic of Chai, the Jewish belief that multiples of 18 bring good luck. Meaning that every session booked will result in at least $30 for the wonderful folks at Flat Rock Playhouse.

For decades, Flat Rock Playhouse has been opening their collective hearts and sharing their fabulous talents to bring joy and entertainment to western North Carolina. This is an opportunity to show our gratitude at a time when they really need our support.

Together, let’s make magic happen! Help us kick off this campaign by contributing today.

Virtual Visits for Students

Groups of pre-K–12 students are invited to schedule an interactive Virtual Visit to the Museum! Led by volunteer docents with Museum staff, our inquiry-based, conversational Virtual Visits introduce the Museum’s galleries with a 3D tour and challenge students to hone their observation skills. All pre-K–12 Virtual Visits make connections to the NC Standard Course of Study.

Virtual Visits for pre-K–12 groups are $50 for 5–25 participants from one or multiple devices through Zoom or Google Meet. Virtual Visits are available Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, and last 30–45 minutes. At least two weeks’ advanced notice is required.

For more information about Virtual Visits for adults, college, and university students, click here. For Virtual Visits for family and friend groups with children, click here.

Asheville Gallery of Art’s November show, “Opening Up to Art,” is a multi-member show featuring each artist’s personal exploration into being part of this world during uneasy times. The show runs November 1-30 during gallery hours 12-5 p.m. Thursday thru Sunday. You can also make arrangements for a private tour by emailing a request to [email protected].

Pierre Daura, Mohler Barn, circa 1950, tempera on paper, 20 × 26 inches. Gift of Martha R. Daura, 1998.17.28.27. © Estate of Pierre Daura.

Join Hank Bovee and Joey Gigliotti, touring docents, for an interactive conversation about three artworks in our Collection. Before the discussion, find a quiet space. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Now open your eyes, and engage with the artworks in the image gallery; click on the thumbnail for a larger image, and spend about 15 minutes looking slowly at each.

• What’s going on in this artwork? What do you see that makes you say that?
• How are these three works on paper alike? How are they different?
• Which one of these three works is your favorite? Why?

For those who are not yet comfortable with indoor dining but looking for a more social experience, we invite you to attend the Auction Preview. Join us at the Museum after hours to view auction items and have questions answered by Museum staff. Galleries will be open late for guests to explore, live instrumental music will play, and light hors d’oeuvres will be available for pick-up to then enjoy at home. Timed tickets are available for 6pm, 7pm, and 8pm to allow for maximum social distancing.

Tickets are sold on a first-come, first-served basis and are limited to 60 people per hour. Face coverings and social distancing are required.

Kimpton Hotel Arras and local artists today unveiled, “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music,” a locally created, life-size stainless steel sculpture located outdoors on the corner of Lexington and Patton at Kimpton Hotel Arras. Inspired by the city’s vibrant street musicians and their lively drum circles, artists Chukk Bruursema and Ash Knight sought to bring the unique rhythms of Asheville to life through this striking, collaborative piece, which was commissioned by the hotel.

“Asheville Music,” the large steel djembe drum sculpted by Chukk Bruursema, has West African roots, where the djembe is traditionally played as part of an ensemble, invoking feelings of community and togetherness. Adorning the drum is “Asheville Music,” Ash Knight’s five musical buskers depicted playing the spoons, the string washtub, jug, washboard, and the fiddle, with a dog observing from the ground below.

“We are pleased to officially introduce the “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” sculpture, a defining art piece that truly represents the spirit of our city, to the Asheville community,” said Kimpton Hotel Arras General Manager David McCartney. “This piece is an exciting addition to the hotel and expands our local artwork program, which works to highlight and supporting the work of local artists and purveyors.”

Following the unveiling, tours of the additional local artwork displayed throughout the hotel were offered with the artists in attendance to speak to their pieces, including John Wayne Jackson and Peter Roux. Kimpton Hotel Arras commissioned more than a dozen pieces of local artwork curated by local art consultant Liz Barr of Art Resouces.

Click HERE to view photos of “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” from the unveiling.

On the Second Saturday of each month, the River Arts District holds gallery walks with demonstrations, workshops, live music, wine tastings, delicious food, and more! Meander the mile-long district or hop on and off the free trolley and discover all that the “RAD” has to offer. There are more than 200 artists in the 23 buildings throughout the district. Most of them will be on hand to describe or show you their techniques and share their inspirations.

*There will be no free trolley for the June and July Second Saturdays. Ample free parking is available in the district.*

*Both in person and  virtual events are happening for Second Saturday. Many are listed here and you may also check our EVENTS listings for more details.”

Events with an *asterisk are available in person AND online, Events which are solely virtual listed separately.

Special day & evening events will be listed for each date – so please come back and plan your day as we get closer to the date!

The 240+ artists of Asheville’s River Arts District open their doors for a full weekend at the Fall Studio Stroll welcoming visitors, from near and far, to experience the vast array of art in their studios and galleries. Attendees will enjoy two days full of special demonstrations and events, including unique workshops and gallery receptions.

The River Arts District is minutes from Downtown Asheville and The Biltmore Estate. Free parking throughout the district and over a mile of greenway and sidewalks make it easy to see it all.

Stroll is an engaging experience for fine art collectors and curious day-trippers alike. You will find art and craft of all kinds being created in the district, from pottery to jewelry, blown and fused glass, fiber arts and clothing, to woodworking, and, of course, painting and drawing examining a myriad of subjects. This year we are excited to share the newly expanded greenway, connecting the district with walking and biking paths and offering open spaces for the kids or dogs to take a break or eat lunch outdoors.

Free Parking at Depot Street (2 lots, plus street), Riverview Station (191 Lyman Street), and Payne’s Way (behind Wedge Studios).

Masks & Social Distancing Required: Please respect the community’s health and safety as they welcome you to engage with their creations.

Beginning October 7, the three-hour documentary-styled art installation Question Bridge: Black Males will be on view at the Asheville Art Museum. This innovative transmedia project facilitates a dialogue between Black men from diverse and contending backgrounds, and creates a platform for them to represent and redefine Black male identity in America. The work will be on view during regular public hours from October 7, 2020 through March 15, 2021.

Question Bridge: Black Males is a project that explores critically challenging issues within the African American male community by instigating a transmedia conversation among Black men across geographic, economic, generational, educational, and social strata of American society. Question Bridge provides a safe setting for necessary, honest expression and healing dialogue on themes that divide, unite, and puzzle Black males today in the United States.

Adonna Khare, Pool Party, 2015, carbon pencil on paper, 6 × 20 feet. Collection of the Artist. © Adonna Khare, image Phil Hatten.

An exhibition highlighting the works of John James Audubon juxtaposed with the work of 21st-century artists who continue his tradition of animal allegories and metaphors is currently on view at the Asheville Art Museum. The exhibition features more than 40 works and will be on display in the Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall through November 30.

The Asheville Art Museum presents Fantastical Forms: Ceramics as Sculpture on view at the Museum November 4, 2020 through April 5, 2021. The 25 works in this exhibition—curated by associate curator Whitney Richardson—highlight the Museum’s Collection of sculptural ceramics from the last two decades of the 20th century to the present. Each work illustrates the artist’s ability to push beyond the utilitarian and transition ceramics into the world of sculpture.

North and South Carolina artists featured include Elma McBride Johnson, Neil Noland, Norm Schulman, Virginia Scotchie, Cynthia Bringle, Jane Palmer, Michael Sherrill, and Akira Satake. Works by American artists Don Reitz, Robert Chapman Turner, Karen Karnes, Toshiko Takaezu, Bill Griffith, and Xavier Toubes are also featured in the exhibition.

Best of all, Porch Portraits by Suzanne will donate $15 of every session to our great friends at Flat Rock Playhouse. My goal is to raise $15,000 for the Playhouse by the end of the year so any money over and above the price of $65 will go straight to them.

Perhaps most exciting, an extremely generous Playhouse donor has agreed to a MATCHING GIFT CAMPAIGN up to $36,000.18! This incredibly generous donation draws on the magic of Chai, the Jewish belief that multiples of 18 bring good luck. Meaning that every session booked will result in at least $30 for the wonderful folks at Flat Rock Playhouse.

For decades, Flat Rock Playhouse has been opening their collective hearts and sharing their fabulous talents to bring joy and entertainment to western North Carolina. This is an opportunity to show our gratitude at a time when they really need our support.

Together, let’s make magic happen! Help us kick off this campaign by contributing today.

Virtual Visits for Students

Groups of pre-K–12 students are invited to schedule an interactive Virtual Visit to the Museum! Led by volunteer docents with Museum staff, our inquiry-based, conversational Virtual Visits introduce the Museum’s galleries with a 3D tour and challenge students to hone their observation skills. All pre-K–12 Virtual Visits make connections to the NC Standard Course of Study.

Virtual Visits for pre-K–12 groups are $50 for 5–25 participants from one or multiple devices through Zoom or Google Meet. Virtual Visits are available Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm, and last 30–45 minutes. At least two weeks’ advanced notice is required.

For more information about Virtual Visits for adults, college, and university students, click here. For Virtual Visits for family and friend groups with children, click here.

Asheville Gallery of Art’s November show, “Opening Up to Art,” is a multi-member show featuring each artist’s personal exploration into being part of this world during uneasy times. The show runs November 1-30 during gallery hours 12-5 p.m. Thursday thru Sunday. You can also make arrangements for a private tour by emailing a request to [email protected].

Experiment with two distinct styles of acrylic painting! Working from observation en plein air in downtown Asheville, create both realistic and expressive versions of our surroundings. Choose from natural/landscape or urban/architectural subject matters. More info and register at ashevilleart.org/events by November 11.

Please note:

• Youth Studio is held indoors and outdoors. If the weather is cooperating, we’ll do most art activities outside. In the event of inclement weather or the necessity of studio resources, we’ll move inside to the Museum’s Education Center.
• Space is limited to small groups of up to eight students; face coverings and social distancing are required.

Marking the official one-year anniversary of the Museum’s reopening, this virtual event features a live auction with Brunk Auctions, a silent auction, performance art, entertainment, and special guests. Even if you won’t be bidding, you’ll want to tune in to play our live auction trivia and be entered to win a special prize. We encourage you to spend the evening with your best quarantine buddies for the main event in our series of celebrations and support the Museum from the comfort of your home! Details on a fantastic lineup of auction items, how to bid, and to-go dinner options are coming soon.

Kimpton Hotel Arras and local artists today unveiled, “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music,” a locally created, life-size stainless steel sculpture located outdoors on the corner of Lexington and Patton at Kimpton Hotel Arras. Inspired by the city’s vibrant street musicians and their lively drum circles, artists Chukk Bruursema and Ash Knight sought to bring the unique rhythms of Asheville to life through this striking, collaborative piece, which was commissioned by the hotel.

“Asheville Music,” the large steel djembe drum sculpted by Chukk Bruursema, has West African roots, where the djembe is traditionally played as part of an ensemble, invoking feelings of community and togetherness. Adorning the drum is “Asheville Music,” Ash Knight’s five musical buskers depicted playing the spoons, the string washtub, jug, washboard, and the fiddle, with a dog observing from the ground below.

“We are pleased to officially introduce the “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” sculpture, a defining art piece that truly represents the spirit of our city, to the Asheville community,” said Kimpton Hotel Arras General Manager David McCartney. “This piece is an exciting addition to the hotel and expands our local artwork program, which works to highlight and supporting the work of local artists and purveyors.”

Following the unveiling, tours of the additional local artwork displayed throughout the hotel were offered with the artists in attendance to speak to their pieces, including John Wayne Jackson and Peter Roux. Kimpton Hotel Arras commissioned more than a dozen pieces of local artwork curated by local art consultant Liz Barr of Art Resouces.

Click HERE to view photos of “Ode to Buskers & Asheville Music” from the unveiling.

The 240+ artists of Asheville’s River Arts District open their doors for a full weekend at the Fall Studio Stroll welcoming visitors, from near and far, to experience the vast array of art in their studios and galleries. Attendees will enjoy two days full of special demonstrations and events, including unique workshops and gallery receptions.

The River Arts District is minutes from Downtown Asheville and The Biltmore Estate. Free parking throughout the district and over a mile of greenway and sidewalks make it easy to see it all.

Stroll is an engaging experience for fine art collectors and curious day-trippers alike. You will find art and craft of all kinds being created in the district, from pottery to jewelry, blown and fused glass, fiber arts and clothing, to woodworking, and, of course, painting and drawing examining a myriad of subjects. This year we are excited to share the newly expanded greenway, connecting the district with walking and biking paths and offering open spaces for the kids or dogs to take a break or eat lunch outdoors.

Free Parking at Depot Street (2 lots, plus street), Riverview Station (191 Lyman Street), and Payne’s Way (behind Wedge Studios).

Masks & Social Distancing Required: Please respect the community’s health and safety as they welcome you to engage with their creations.