Calendar of Events

When reflecting on the current state of the environment, it seems that we have entered into times of seismic sorrows. Carbon emissions, water pollution, fracking, and changing climate patterns all point to a troubling reality with serious consequences for human and non-human populations. Through weavings, installations, sculpture, and print, artists Rena Detrixhe and Tali Weinberg (Tulsa, OK) explore the complex relationship between humans and the planet, offering insights, expressing grief, and creating space for resilience and change.

In Time of Seismic Sorrows is curated by Marilyn Zapf and organized by the Center for Craft. The Center for Craft is supported in part by the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The South has always been home to a blend of cultures — from Native Americans here by 14,000 years ago to Europeans 500 years ago, followed by Africans forced to migrate. By 1500, cultures in the South included Creek, Cherokee, Catawba, Choctaw, Chitimacha, and Coushatta, from Europe English, Scottish, Irish, and German, and Africans from Senegal to Congo. Baskets were integral in daily life, as agricultural equipment for gathering, sifting, storing, and serving the finished product or as receptacles for tools, clothes, sacred objects, and even infants.

Initially each culture had its own preferred basket material and method of manufacture — twilled rivercane for Native Americans, plaited oak for Europeans, and coiled grasses for Africans. Interaction between groups spurred adaptations to changing circumstances, such as the use of white oak by the Cherokee in the 1800s, as rivercane stands were decimated by European settlements. Native Americans also adopted the European picnic, flower, egg, and market baskets to sell in the 20th-century art market. Native and European Americans wove honeysuckle into baskets after 1854, when introduced from Japan. By the 17th century African Americans discovered bulrush along the coasts, coiling it into large, round “fanners” to winnow rice. Later bulrush was one medium among sweetgrass, pine needles, and palmetto, giving rise to the name “sweetgrass baskets” along the coast.

Baskets were woven not only for use in the fields and homes or for sale in art galleries but also as a connection to ancestors and spirits, as designs were said to come from inside one’s head, from memories of one’s mother’s motifs, or from the Creator. Indeed, working with one’s hands in nature to gather materials and to form them into a basket was considered spiritually and physically healthy, becoming a part of the practice of occupational therapy around World War I.

Today, basketweavers in the South from all three traditions are teaching the next generation to continue this art. Artists from across the region work with old and new materials in old and new forms, innovating for their legacy, for art’s sake, and for political causes, as embodied in the varied vessels in this gallery and epitomized in the virtuosic miniature examples in the case at right.

infants through pre-school
educational play dates

We’re back this holiday season popping up at the Asheville Masonic Temple!

Shop our festive 20-day pop up shop featuring some of the area’s best in handmade and vintage. We’ve curated goods featuring over 125 local & indie makers, designers, and vintage wares including clothing, jewelry, decor, greeting cards, and more. You’re sure to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list!

HOLIDAY POP UP SHOP
Open November 30 – December 19
10am-8pm everyday
The Asheville Masonic Temple
80 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801

OPENING PARTY
Saturday, December 1 | 6-9pm
Join us Saturday evening for our Opening Party, December 1st from 6-9pm and enjoy complimentary Bhramari Brewing Co beer, sweet bites, live music, and fairy hair.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Saturday, December 1 | 12-7pm
Take a timeless portrait with Revelry Tintype

Sundays, December 2, 9, and 16 | 1-3pm
Take some time for your self during this busy season with a relaxing chair massage with LMBT Massage by Amy Gallagher Massey

For more details and a full list of vendors visit: https://www.showandtellpopupshop.com/

https://www.facebook.com/events/2336118139996988/?event_time_id=2336118183330317

This is glass at its most creative.

Wilson has been working in glass from the South Toe area of Burnsville for the past 37 years and has established himself as an experimental, innovative glass blower. He has been both a student and instructor at the Penland School of Crafts in glass and neon studies. More recently, he worked with six other glassblowers, including his son, Hayden, in blowing hundreds of glass orbs for the Burnsville Gateway Tower.

“Glass and Light” showcases several of his small sculptures, including several fluorescent glassworks. The glowing effect is achieved by combining glass with rare earth oxides before melting for coloration. And the various types of oxides produce different colors, from oranges to greens, to brilliant blues. The glass fluoresces under ultra-violet (UV) light. This is one of those exhibits that one has to witness in person in order to fully grasp the “glow” of these small sculptures in a dark area in the gallery.

And just when you think you have seen it all, Wilson, a multi-faceted glass blower, will have on display his almost alien-like bowls cradled atop blown glass legs. Some are for drinking, others for holding, each bowl perfectly positioned and more unique than the one before.

A FREE, open to the public reception will be held on Friday, November 9, form 5 to 7pm in the Burnsville Gallery.

https://www.facebook.com/events/194905861408401/

FREE Santa Photos will be available at the center through December 24 at the The North Carolina Arboretum sponsored Santa Set. Every family who visits Santa at Asheville Outlets will receive two FREE 4” x 6” Santa photo prints and a digital download of a single image. Free Santa Photos is hosted by Great Beginnings Lead To Great Smiles.

(Additional photos and Christmas merchandise are available for purchase. One giveaway per family, per Christmas season. Some restrictions may apply. Valid only through December 24, 2018.)

https://www.facebook.com/events/337462147058287/?event_time_id=337462237058278

FREE Santa Photos are back at Asheville Outlets (ShopAshevilleOutlets.com)! From November 17th through December 24th, every family who visits Santa will receive two FREE 4”x6” Santa photo prints and a digital download of a single image. Additional photos and Christmas merchandise are available for purchase. FREE Santa photo is sponsored by Great Beginnings Great Smiles; the FREE Santa photo set is sponsored by North Carolina Arboretum Winter Lights.

Santa’s Photo Hours are:
11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday – Saturday, Sundays, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Christmas Eve, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Santa takes a break to feed his reindeer weekdays and Saturdays: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. + 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Sundays, 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Located at food court. One giveaway per family, per Christmas season. Some restrictions may apply, valid only through December 24, 2018.

Come warm up and make new friends at BINGO in the library! Prizes, food, and fun for everyone of ALL ages.

BINGO takes place in our auditorium downstairs.

https://www.facebook.com/events/350957532379568/

Network and have lunch with new and old friends in Asheville NC while you promote your business products and services. Bring a big stack of business cards and a friend if you like. ALL are invited, no cost to attend the meeting, we just ask that you support our host restaurant and buy your lunch – All You Can Eat Buffet (Drink Included) $12.95 + tax/tip.
Join our MeetUp Group: https://www.meetup.com/Asheville-Business-Networking/
Thank you to our business Sponsors: Big Frog Custom T-Shirts & More, Radius Chiropractic, Rainbow International of Asheville, Lone Bird Studio Asheville Web Design, Montreat College School of Adult and Graduate Studies, CBIZ, Inc. Flex-pay, and Coach Bill Gilliland.

https://www.facebook.com/events/355696848311452/

As Virginia Woolf said, “one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Food and water are essential for survival, but mankind’s relationship to food has transformed over time from one of sustenance to one laden with personal and cultural significance.

A Matter of Taste explores depictions of food and drink in art and reveals how images of fruits and vegetables can function as complex metaphors for excess, status, memory, and politics. Drawn from southern museums and private collections, this exhibition showcases over 35 paintings, decorative arts, and works on paper by artists such as Andy Warhol, Wayne Thiebaud, Henri Cartier-Bresson and Claes Oldenburg.

This show spans 400 years and multiple continents, revealing the evolving role of food and drink in various media and cultural contexts. While depictions of fruit and vegetables appeared in ancient times, still life painting as an independent genre dates to 16th-century Holland.

In 19th-century America, still life paintings remained popular but evolved in terms of subject matter, media, and message. Painters such as Thomas Wightman, George Forster, and De Scott Evans embraced Dutch still lifes and used food as commentary on the current political climate and the transient state of the human condition.

Illustrated newspapers led to an increase of cartoons by artists such as Winslow Homer and William Hogarth, who utilized food and drink as social satire. The 20th-century modern art movement further changed the perception of food. The culture of mass production enabled Pop artists to elevate seemingly mundane foodstuffs to high art. Yet, other contemporary artists explored the symbolic and nostalgic role of food seen in works by Tim Tate, Linda Armstrong, and Laquita Thomson.

Visitors will also experience an elaborately set dining table fit for a sumptuous feast. Dining became its own art form over time and communicated one’s social standing and wealth. Each of the table’s six place settings represent a different culture and offer a glimpse into global dining customs. Selective drinkware will accompany this section revealing how tea sets and even punch bowls reflected an owner’s prestige.

Overview

A review of open spatial standards and protocols for vector data with notes on advantages and disadvantages for different use cases and discussion of compatible tools.

Key Takeaways

When should I use TopoJSON instead of GeoJSON? Is geopackage a viable replacement for file geodatabase? How can I use vector tiles to improve the responsiveness of my maps?

Who Should Attend?

Cartographers, mapping enthusiasts or anyone interested in how to best utilize spatial data.

Presenter Bio

Mike McDougall graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in Earth Science. Most of his career he has been developing mapping applications for government and commercial customers. Most recently he founded Blue Spatial which is a Modern GIS server.

https://www.facebook.com/events/705595066474187/

Join our creative volunteers and make a holiday centerpiece for your table from a choice of interesting greenery, poinsettias and other materials. $50/per person. Space is limited, please call to register or register online!

https://www.facebook.com/events/282455749034092/

Help save a life by donating blood. One donation can help save up to three lives.

The American Red Cross and Highland Brewing Company Partner are partnering for “Pint for Pint” Blood Drive. All donors (ages 21 and over) will receive a FREE pint glass!

https://www.facebook.com/events/507740999725684/

Tuesdays 3-5:30pm
October 23- December 11

A good casserole bakes and presents your food beautifully and certainly impresses at potlucks. But casseroles are complex forms to create and get just right. Join Cayce as he demystifies the process step-by-step, with plenty of one-on-one instruction. Techniques demonstrated will include throwing hollow, making a tight fitting lid, and plenty of variations for knobs and handles. Soon you will be creating beautiful, functional casseroles to use and enjoy for years to come.

Level: Intermediate and Advanced
Tuition: $310 + $50 Lab Fee

Every first and third Tuesday of the month, we’ll have basic computer skills classes in our computer lab downstairs. Come and improve your skills in a patient and understanding environment.

All library events are free. No registration is required for the class and everyone is welcome.
Computers may be limited based on capacity.
For more information or call 250-4717.

https://www.facebook.com/events/557683598017009/?event_time_id=557683614683674

Join us for a silent auction to benefit the Council on Aging of Buncombe and Henderson County. Bid on wreaths and support a great cause!

https://www.facebook.com/events/2231470383591138/

Scientists need YOUR help in studying animals everywhere, including your own backyard!
Join us for an introduction to ornithology, the study of birds. You’ll learn all about our feathery friends and go on a short birding walk! You can also join our crew of ecoEXPLORERS — kids who submit observations of plants and animals for scientists to study and earn prizes while they do it.
Find out how you can earn your Ornithology Field Badge and a free pass to The Great Backyard Bird Count Day on February 16th. For ages 5 to 13 but all ages are welcome to attend.

Registration required–Space is limited! Please contact Jennifer [email protected] or 828-648-2924

https://www.facebook.com/events/2305443422854971/

Have your picture with Santa and receive a free photo. Packages will also be available.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1912614475452915/

Open 5:00 – 10:00 p.m. Advance Tickets Required. Enjoy the wonder of the park dazzlingly lit for the holidays, with a nighttime train and more.

Candlelight Christmas Evenings*
Saturday, November 3, 2018 – Saturday, January 5, 2019 (Select Dates)

*Check website for availability/dates
*By reservation only.
*Pricing varies by date.

Candlelight, firelight, and live music bring holiday warmth to the extravagant holiday décor of Biltmore House, creating an evening to remember. Evening guests can also take advantage of Antler Hill Village & Winery to enjoy free wine tastings. Advance reservations are required for evening visits.

Learn more about #ChristmasAtBiltmore or plan your visit: biltmore.com/Christmas

https://www.facebook.com/events/1524627331014393/?event_time_id=1524627367681056

Join us for an evening with Hillman Beer to explore our beer inspirations and classic pairings.

$60 per person (does not include gratuity). Four course pairing. Doors open at 5:30 pm and dinner to begin at 6:30 pm. Event will be held at Magpie Meat & Three, 170 King Street, Brevard, NC

You may purchase tickets online at https://squareup.com/store/magpie-meat-and-three

Must be 21 or older to attend. Be sure to get your tickets soon! *Seating is limited and group requests are subject to availability* Menu items will include meat, dairy, eggs, fish, and gluten.

https://www.facebook.com/events/172195003715356/

Revolutionary Threads: Rastafari, Social Justice, and Cooperative Economics offers an American Rasta’s retelling of episodes in American history with an anti-colonial thrust, accented by Bobby Sullivan’s own personal experiences. The book ties together various subjects while returning each time to the culture of Rastafari, social justice movements, and cooperative economics. From how we perceive history in general, America’s precolonial past, and global capitalism’s early development and the resistance to it, to political prisoners and a celebration of religious tolerance, the book approaches North America with an African-centrical perspective. Sullivan aims to dispel the oversimplification of our perceptions of Rastafari, as well as other cultures, in the age of the Internet, where the loudest voices are often the most extreme and divisive.

Bobby Sullivan grew up in the Washington, DC, punk scene, fueled by Rasta rockers the Bad Brains and the foundational Minor Threat. His most notable band continues to be Soulside (of which he is the singer), which had multiple releases on Dischord Records, produced by Ian MacKaye. Along the way, Sullivan became an activist, working with Food Not Bombs, the Anarchist Black Cross political prisoner support network, and a Rasta prison ministry. He currently manages a retail grocery co-op and sits on the board of the National Co+op Grocers. He lives in Asheville, North Carolina, with his wife and four daughters. He will be in conversation with Orus Barker, local farmer, political activist, and former religious studies professor at Lagos, Nigeria’s University of Oxford.

We ask that you purchase the books you want to be signed at our events from Malaprop’s. When you do this you are not only supporting the work it takes to run an events program, you are also telling the publishers that they should keep sending authors here. Can’t make it to the store for the event? Call us or order the book on our website in advance, and we’ll get it signed for you. Make sure you write your preferences in the comments if you purchase online.

https://www.facebook.com/events/304792553635915/

Want to get in the mix to support learning and growth at Claxton?
Join us for the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting on Tuesday, Dec 4, from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm in the Claxton Media Center.
The Claxton PTO is a great way to stay informed, get involved and meet other families. The PTO provides support in the classroom and to our CLX staff, helping to promote an involved and inspired support system around our children. All are welcome!
Meeting agendas will be posted prior to meetings, if you would like to be added to the agenda, please contact PTO Co-Presidents Molly Russell ([email protected]) or Southard Nowak ([email protected]).

https://www.facebook.com/events/2179982965595176/

6:00 – 6:30 pm: Social time
6:30: Dinner
Menu: Fried Chicken, Fried Fish, Baked Ham served family style with salad, assorted vegetables, coffee, iced tea and dessert.
Price: $15 per person. Please respond to this email no later than Friday, November 30 if you plan to attend.

https://www.facebook.com/events/1191809160982437/

Lake Julian Festival of Lights has become a tradition for many mountain families and visitors. The driving-only tour includes thousands of dazzling lights and displays placed along a magical journey on the road circling Lake Julian Park.

Lake Julian Festival of Lights takes place nightly from December 2-23. Want to experience the show by foot? Lights by the Lake Stroll Night is on Saturday, December 1. Please check our Facebook event page for information on any closings due to winter weather.

Tickets are $10 at the gate ($8 in advance) for a standard passenger car or van. A portion of the proceeds benefit Buncombe County Special Olympics.

https://www.facebook.com/events/260293307959881/?event_time_id=260293357959876

Come to the last meeting of the year! Any donation amount accepted-

https://www.facebook.com/events/319477741971995/

Experience Asheville’s brightest holiday tradition at Winter Lights at The North Carolina Arboretum. Walk through an outdoor winter wonderland and see the Arboretum’s gardens dressed in more than half-a-million holiday lights. Roast s’mores by the fire, listen to your favorite holiday tunes or enjoy a cup of hot cocoa, cider or beer. Proceeds from the event will support the Arboretum’s educational programs, exhibit and facilities year-round.

Tickets range from $8-18 and must be purchased in advance online at www.ncwinterlights.com.

https://www.facebook.com/events/183329605927836/?event_time_id=183329715927825

Where? Foothills Wellness Center, Inc. – Fitness Center
When? Tuesday & Thursday 6pm
Who? Mark Sawyer
Cost? $10.00/class, discounts available for advanced purchase of punch card with multiple classes
More information? 828-859-5004 or [email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/events/338945186681233/

HERBAL HOLIDAY COOKING CLASS SERIES

The holidays can be healthy! Join me and learn about herbs and how to make delicious dishes, drinks and desserts that are laden with benefits and goodness!

December 4th-Just Desserts!

Menu- Goji/Cherry/Kava Fudge, Santa’s Zoomballs, Chaga Truffles, Gingerbread Bites, Conifer Cookies, Herbal Tea and a Specialty Mocktail

December 11th-Herbal Savory Fare!

Menu-Medicinal Mushroom Ragout, Herbalicious Roasted Vegetable and Fennel Salad, Peppery Pumpkin Seed Pate’, Herbal Tea and a Delicious Mocktail

December 18th–Winter Soulstice Celebration!

Menu-Hearty Solstice Stew, Sagittarius Spread with Grilled Seeded Bread, Golden Pepparkaker, Herbal Tea and a Celebratory Mocktail

Each class is $25 (or all three for $60) and will include herbal digestive pastilles, herbal tea and a high vibration mocktail made with herbs and flower essences. We will learn about all of the herbs as we enjoy them! You will receive an herbal education along with a cooking demonstration. All ingredients will be organic (whenever possible), vegan and gluten free.

Dove Winter is a Traditional and Clinical Herbalist, Holistic Nutrition Health Guide, Aromatherapist, Flower Essence Practitioner and Yoga/Meditation Instructor. She loves to incorporate medicinal herbs and spices in ALL recipes, not only for their medicinal benefits, but for flavor. She believes being healthy can be so enjoyable!

For tickets contact The Appalachia School of Holistic Herbalism at 828-350-1221 or Dove Winter at 828-989-8723.

Spaces are limited.

https://www.facebook.com/events/903476843189132/?event_time_id=903476869855796