Calendar of Events
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.
The Asheville Downtown Association’s (ADA) Wristband Partner Program provides an opportunity for local nonprofits to sell wristbands at ADA events. The selected nonprofit receives a grant of $2,000, as well as the opportunity to share their program of work with the large audiences at these events. Deadline to apply is Friday, February 24, 2023.
The addition of preservation grants to our existing efforts in advocacy, technical support, preservation easements, and education, will allow us to reach a new and diverse audience. This program will allow us to support both large and small projects from downtown Asheville to our rural and under-served communities.
Click here for the Grant Application
We look forward to helping with emergency stabilization projects and restorations of important places, to helping neighborhoods receive designations such as recognition on the National Register of Historic Places and to encouraging and supporting new and unique education and research opportunities. We want to be surprised and humbled by the projects our community asks us to support!
As our city faces the inevitable challenges of growth, PSABC’s voice and reach must expand. The important addition of this Preservation Grant Program comes in response to the needs of our community.
Preservation grants from $500 – $5000 will be offered to the public in three categories:
- Bricks-And-Mortar
Rehabilitation, restoration and repair of structures that are 50 years of age or older
Some examples: Windows and doors • Exterior painting • Porches • Roofs and gutters • Electrical and plumbing • Hardscaping • Foundation • Original exterior or interior details
- Public Education
Development of educational materials and programs that advance knowledge of our shared history
Some examples: Research and documentation • Oral histories • Installations specific to buildings, place history, and culture • Exhibitions • K–12 educational publications • Seminars and lectures • Documentary films
- Planning, Survey and Designation
Planning and design for building rehabilitation and restoration projects, historic resource surveys and local or national designations
Some examples: Historic building condition reports • Engineering and rehabilitation plans • Feasibility studies • Historic resource surveys • Updates of previous surveys • Local and national historic designations
Read about our past winners here!
Register for our Cuba Agroecology Tour!
April 4-13, 2023Want to learn from farmers and food activists about Cuba’s transition to agroecological farming practices and its national policies that prioritize sustainable farming and hunger remediation?
This is your opportunity to join our 9-day tour of Cuba’s sustainable farms! On our tour, we visit with farmers, NGOs, policymakers, and experts to learn about the history of Cuba, their transition to organic agriculture, and ongoing initiatives to support farmers and expand agroecological practices.
For the past 30 years, the Organic Growers School Spring Conference has served as a gathering place for growers in Appalachia to connect, learn from one another, and deepen connections to land and community. The Spring Conference began as an entirely volunteer-run and free event and has expanded to support an organization of ten staff with year-round programming. As we have grown, we have experimented with different approaches to keeping the event affordable and accessible while also working on compensation for our speakers and supporting our growing staff. We encourage you to check out our recent blog post exploring this in more depth. This year, we are excited to be experimenting with sliding scale ticket pricing for the first time, and we wanted to take some time to explain how this works and why we decided to implement it this year.
Looking beyond scholarships
Over the past several years, we have started implementing different scholarship options. We have set aside around $3000 in our internal budget for scholarships, and we have increased our outreach to other groups in the area who have funding to support individuals to attend conferences. We also offer work-trade opportunities for people who are interested in helping out with our event in exchange for attendance. We have around 100 work-traders access the conference each year through these opportunities, but we have never used up our entire scholarship fund for the event. We know that there are many individuals in our community that we are not reaching through our scholarship opportunities. We began to wonder if scholarship applications were creating a barrier to participation and started researching other options, landing eventually on sliding scale as our preferred model.
How alternative pricing models address accessibility
The sliding scale model, which offers the opportunity for participants to select a price to pay for their ticket, meets several of the parameters we were looking for in an accessible pricing model. Most importantly, it is a seamless way for attendees to access the price that meets their needs. So many things are means-tested in our society, and it can be exhausting to justify why one needs a more affordable price point. While many of our community members need financial support, there are also members of this community who have more than enough to share and are excited about supporting their fellow co-learners. These attendees can select the higher end of the sliding scale, which will be set at a price to offset the lower price paid by other attendees. We trust our attendees to select the option that best works for them while also considering how their selection would affect the ability of other participants to access a lower price point.
Accessibility is a priority for OGS, and implementing it is a risk for us as a small non-profit, given that we rely on our large events like the Spring Conference to support our year-round programming and staff salaries. This will certainly be an experimental year, and if we are not able to secure enough income through sliding-scale registrations, we will have to rethink our approach to pricing. We trust that our community will be thoughtful in thinking about the value that this conference has to them and about what they are able to pay for at this time. Thank you for being on this journey of discovery with us!
Registration for Asheville’s premier ten mile road running race is now open. We hope you can join us on June 3, 2023 for another day of fun on our hilly and beautiful ten mile course. Our non-profit beneficiary is once again the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.
Please click here to register
Please click here for more information
Event Current Price New Price Current Price Valid Until The Flying Squirrel Ten Miler $55 $65 March 1, 2023 at 11:59pm EST Experience some of the best road running in Asheville with The Flying Squirrel Ten Miler, Asheville’s premier 10 Mile road race. Enjoy the ease and convenience of a road race with the spectacular views and seclusion of a mountain race. The race starts and finishes just blocks from downtown Asheville and then promptly takes runners on the winding roads of Town Mountain. Participants will enjoy shaded mountain roads typically only used by locals, such as the beautiful Sunset Drive and Patton Mountain Road. One thing about The Flying Squirrel Ten Miler is sure: you’ve got to “earn” those views. The Southern Appalachians are hilly and so is The Flying Squirrel Ten Miler.
Course
The course features five miles of gradual uphill and five miles of gradual downhill with a bit of flat at the beginning and end. Runners will gain over 1,400′ and lose over 1,400′ throughout the 10 mile long course. Check out our Course Description for a course map, elevation profile, and turn-by-turn instructions.
Start
The race will Start at 8:00AM on Saturday June 3, 2022. The race also Finishes at this same location. Click here for map.
Wildlife
Asheville is home to an amazing diversity of wildlife, including white squirrels, black bears, and fox. Yes, there are white squirrels that live on the course that sometimes make an appearance. A portion of race proceeds to go towards conserving the endangered Carolina Flying Squirrel.
About Us
Brought to you by the same race organizers that bring you the Asheville Turkey Trot (now in its 20+ year) and the Shut-In Ridge Trail Run (now in its 40+ year), The Flying Squirrel Ten Miler is committed to providing the absolute BEST experience for each and every participant!
Aid Stations
Our Aid Stations will have water. Cross the finish line and you will be greeted by spectators and a bunch of other runners.
Finish Zone
Post-Race: Once you catch your breath you’ll enjoy post-race refreshments.
There are several great places to grab a late breakfast or early lunch within a short walk of the Finish Zone including Liberty Coffee (fresh and healthy seasonal plates and full coffee bar – all Ten Mile participants get one free coffee!), City Bakery (classic Asheville bakery and cafe serving up sandwiches and soups), and Pulp + Sprout (juice bar and vegan cafe).
What’s Included With Your Registration?
Registrants are guaranteed the following:
- Custom Flying Squirrel Ten Miler Shirt
- Legit Post Race Food
- Post Race Food
- Coupons/Giveaways from our sponsors
- Custom Race Bib
- Professionally Timed Chip Time
- Spectacular Views of Asheville (weather permitting)
The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy (SAHC) permanently protects and stewards our region’s most beloved natural areas. Since 1974, over 80,000 acres of unique plant and animal habitat, clean water sources, farmland, scenic beauty, and places for people to enjoy outdoor recreation have been permanently protected in the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. SAHC is committed to creating and supporting equitable, healthy and thriving communities for everyone in our region.
We value our local Western North Carolina community and are committed to giving back. A portion of our race proceeds go towards our charity partner for that year. For the inaugural Flying Squirrel Ten Miler we are proud to be supporting a Western North Carolina based non-profit who is helping to conserve the endangered Carolina Flying Squirrel. The Carolina Flying Squirrel is a subspecies of the Northern Flying Squirrel and requires high elevation habitat to thrive. Read more about the Carolina Flying Squirrel here: https://www.fws.gov/southeast/wildlife/mammals/carolina-northern-flying-squirrel/
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Members of Boys & Girls Club of Henderson County created original pieces of artwork and the finalists drawings that you will find attached were chosen by Club staff. The finalists’ artwork will be digitally displayed at UScellular’s Hendersonville location at 1900 Hendersonville Blvd.
The winners will be announced in March and prizes include gift cards in the following amounts:
- $250 for 1st Place
- $150 for 2nd Place
- $100 for 3rd Place
The public can vote for their favorite artwork by going to newsroom.uscellular.com
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in
two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
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- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
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- Dawn – Dusk
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
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- Library open hours
- Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
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Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations Holidays call for hours
Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center
85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
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- Dawn – Dusk
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
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- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
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- Library open hours
The WNC Farmers Market is the premier destination for buying and selling the region’s best agriculture products directly from farmers & food producers to household & wholesale customers in an environment that celebrates the region’s diverse culture, food & heritage.
House of Operation:
WNC Farmers Market: 24/7, 361 days a year market access for farmers
Office: Monday- Friday, 8am-5pm
Market Shops: 7 days a week, 8 am-5 pm
Wholesale and Truck Sheds: 7 days a week
Andrea Rich’s intricately designed, carved, and printed woodcuts draw viewers in for an up-close look.
Some of the artist’s earliest memories are of drawing animals. Childhood encounters with pets, livestock, and wildlife, including birds, deer, and toads, created a lasting connection to the natural world. Through encounters with creatures both tame and wild, Rich developed a fascination and a compassion for animals integral to her art.
“My prints are a visual record of the intriguing creatures that have enriched my life. The woodcut process challenges me to focus on the essence of my subjects. At the same time, I am drawn to the smell of the wood, its texture and grain, and the pleasure I experience while carving. I begin working on a block of wood and realize later that hours have passed without notice.”
Rich uses a centuries-old medium that requires one carved wood panel for each color – varying from one to sixteen – necessary to develop the composition. These panels are painstakingly aligned one atop another sequentially and pulled through a printing press to create the final woodcut.
The subjects of Rich’s woodcuts range from the wilderness of the Australian outback and the lush tropical Amazon forests to the roaring rivers of Yellowstone Park. Rich has traveled worldwide to study wildlife habitats and these varied firsthand experiences are reflected in her work.
Among Rich’s many achievements are international recognition for her woodcut prints, including a 2009 Award of Excellence from the Society of Animal Artists and a 2009 Medal of Excellence from the Artists for Conservation Foundation. She was named Master Artist by the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in 2006. In 2010 her work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Mass Audubon Visual Arts Center, Canton, Massachusetts. Rich is a member of the California Society of Printmakers, Artists for Nature Foundation, the Society of Animal Artists, and Society of Wildlife Artists.
In 2000 Rich designated the Woodson Art Museum as the repository for her artistic oeuvre. An Abundance of Riches is drawn from these holdings, which include an example of each of her woodcuts created since the mid-1980s.
More than 400 local businesses could benefit from Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness. According to reports from the Federal Government’s Pandemic Response Accountability Committee, Buncombe County businesses may be eligible for $15.8 million and your small business could receive full or partial loan forgiveness. “Small businesses were under huge stress from the COVID-19 pandemic and continue to face challenges with supply chain issues and inflation. PPP loan forgiveness represents an opportunity for small businesses to gain additional relief, keep their doors open and continue to provide high quality jobs in our community,” explains Intergovernmental Director Timothy Love.
Wondering if your business is eligible? It’s definitely worth taking a moment to find out. “The process and requirements are quick. In many cases, detailed documentation may not be required during the application process. Typical documents include bank statements, tax forms, and business costs,” says Love. “PPP loan forgiveness may not require any additional work with your lender and you can apply for direct forgiveness through the SBA portal.”
To apply or learn more, please see the below links (Please note: This program is administered by the federal government)
- Apply here (Borrowers may submit a loan forgiveness application any time before the maturity date of the loan, which is either two or five years from loan origination.)
- FAQs
The beginning of the year is a great time for Ashevillians of all ages to explore, connect, and discover. Asheville Parks & Recreation (APR)’s new winter-spring program guide is filled with registration dates, information, and listings for hundreds of fitness and active living offerings, sports and clubs, arts and culture programs, out-of-school time activities, outdoor recreation, special events, parks and facilities’ hours of operation, and more.
The free guide is available at all APR community centers and online as a PDF or enhanced digital flipbook. Community members may also download the APR app for iPhone or search programs on avlREC.com.
Winter-Spring 2023 Guide Highlights
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Exercise at fitness centers with a free membership (through June 30, 2023).
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Walk, roll, or run your way to 50 miles in February and March during the Fit 50 Challenge for a free T-shirt.
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Celebrate Black Legacy Month with food, art, and festivals throughout the city in February.
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Meet neighbors over cards, board games, bingo, trivia contests, and community meals.
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Get an up-close look at big trucks, small trucks, transit buses, construction rigs, rescue vehicles, and public works equipment during Truck City AVL on April 15.
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Experience the fun, fellowship, fitness, arts, and competition of Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts Classic for local adults over 50..
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Flex creativity at art, painting, writing, scrapbooking, and crafting classes.
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Connect with neighbors over sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, and archery for kids, teens, and adults.
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Enjoy the honor of dirty hands with community garden workdays and Green Thumbs Garden Club at Grove Street Community Center’s greenhouse.
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Witness the power of gravity at the Montford Pinewood Derby in May.
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Refine square, tap, line, and West African dance skills at multiple locations.
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And so much more!
Food Scraps Drop Off
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County and the Natural Resources Defense Council, is offering a FREE Food Scrap Drop-Off program in
two locations for all Buncombe County residents. This organic matter will be collected and turned into good clean compost, keeping it OUT of our landfill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Register for Food Scraps Drop Off
Need a handy kitchen countertop food scrap bin? Let us know on the registration form! We’ll be having bin giveaways at city and county facilities and would love to give you one.
Locations
West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building
942 Haywood Road, Asheville
Library open hours
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center “Food Scrap Shed” next to the Community Garden on the North side of the parking lot
30 Washington Carver Avenue, Asheville
-
- Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
- Sunday, 12 – 4 p.m.
Murphy Oakley Community Center and Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the east side of the parking lot
749 Fairview Road, Asheville
-
- Dawn – Dusk
Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
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-
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- Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
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Future Islands
The Orange Peel
Sat, May 6, 2023
Use code “FUTUREPEELS”
for Local Online Presale
Code valid 2/16 10am – 10pmget tickets at Future Islands Tickets | Asheville, NC | The Orange Peel (etix.com)
FREE Virtual Event
Presenter: Craig Mauney, Extension Area Specialized Agent, Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit trees are a home garden favorite, and it’s challenging to grow good fruit in our WNC environment. It helps to carefully select smaller, more disease-resistant varieties and consider more unusual fruit like Asian pears, sour cherries, mulberries and pawpaws. Our Presenter,Craig Mauney, is an Extension Area Specialized Agent for fruit production in our Western counties. He has years of experience growing small fruits in his own home landscape, and you’re sure to learn something new to help you grow those little gems of flavor.
Registration: The talk is free but registration is required. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.
Zoom seminar access: After registration, you will receive an email with instructions and a link to join this online live broadcast via Zoom. The ability to access Zoom through a computer, tablet or smartphone with a reliable internet connection is necessary to attend.
Orange Peel Events presents
Rabbit Rabbit
Tuesday, September 26, 2023
Use code “RABBITDOLLS” for Local Online Presale
Code valid Thu, Feb 16 10am – 10pmtickets at GOO GOO DOLLS – The Big Night Out Tour Tickets | Asheville, NC | Rabbit Rabbit (etix.com)
Lucinda Williams Tickets | Asheville, NC | The Orange Peel (etix.com)
Lucinda Williams
The Orange Peel
Wed, May 3, 2023
Use code “OPLUCINDA”
for Local Online Presale
Code valid 2/16 10am – 10pm
Gardening in the Mountains presents:
Fruit Trees for Home Gardens
Virtual attendance via Zoom video and audio internet connection
Presenter: Craig Mauney – NC Cooperative Extension Agent
Fruit trees are a home garden favorite, and it’s challenging to grow good fruit in our WNC environment. It helps to carefully select smaller, more disease-resistant varieties and consider more unusual fruit like Asian pears, sour cherries, mulberries, and pawpaws.
Our presenter, Craig Mauney, is an Extension Area Specialized Agent for commercial vegetable and fruit production in our western counties. He has years of experience growing small fruits in his own home landscape, and you’re sure to learn something new to help you grow those little gems of flavor.
Registration: The talk is free but registration is required. Please click on the link below to register. If you encounter problems registering or if you have questions, call 828-255-5522.
Zoom seminar access: After registration, you will receive an email with instructions and a link to join this online live broadcast via Zoom. The ability to access Zoom through a computer, tablet or smartphone with a reliable internet connection is necessary to attend.
After a temporary shift in operating hours, Buncombe County Special Collections (BCSC) at Pack Memorial Library will return to regular service hours beginning Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023. We look forward to welcoming the public back on a more regular basis.
The new hours will be:
- Sunday & Monday – Closed
- Tuesday – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Wednesday – 10 a.m.- 6 p.m.
- Thursday – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Friday – 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
- Saturday – 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Follow the Special Collections blog to stay up to date on current events and news from our Special Collections library.
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The Knitters and Stitchers are back! Join us for a morning of crafting and conversation. This is not an instructional group, but newcomers are most welcome. Pre-registration is not required. Come ready to meet fun people! |
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If you can sew on a machine, hand sew, crochet or knit, stuff a pillow or iron come join our makers group! Sewers, knitters, and menders are welcome to join us. We will be working on projects that provide comfort items to anyone struggling. Comfort items may include but are not limited to quilts, crocheted or knitted blankets, Hospice pillows, chemo port pillows and beanies/hats. To get us started there will be a few Hospice pillow kits, cut and ready to sew, stuff, and complete. Come prepared with your supplies & tools including sewing machine, fabric, yarn and any other items you might need. The library will have some materials on hand as well! You’re also more than welcome to join us, hang out, and work on your own project if you’d like. The group meets in the library community room. No registration required. Interested in learning more about the group, follow @hominycreekcomfortmakers on Facebook. |
Explore Biltmore House with an Audio Guide that introduces you to the Vanderbilt family and their magnificent home’s history, architecture, and collections of fine art and furnishings.
PLUS: Immersive, multi-sensory Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius exhibition created and produced by Grande Experiences
PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds
This visit includes access to:
- Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius at Amherst at Deerpark®
- 8,000 Acres of Gardens and Grounds for two consecutive days
- Antler Hill Village & Winery
- Complimentary Wine Tastings at the Winery
- Tastings require a Day-of-Visit Reservation, which can be made by:
- Scanning the QR Code found in your Estate Guide
- Visiting any Guest Services location
- Complimentary parking
Art Exhibition: Leonardo da Vinci – 500 Years of Genius
Immerse yourself in the world’s most comprehensive and thrilling Da Vinci experience as his brilliance and extraordinary achievements are brought to vivid life!
The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery, Level 1 • On View January 25–March 6
The Asheville Art Museum and the Asheville Area Section of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) are the Western North Carolina (WNC) regional affiliates of the National Scholastic Art Awards. This ongoing community partnership has supported the creative talents of our region’s youth for more than 43 years. The WNC regional program is open to students in grades 7–12 across 20 WNC counties.
The regional program is judged in two groups: Group I, grades 7–8; and Group II, grades 9–12. Out of 534 total entries, 156 artworks have been recognized by the judges and are featured in this new exhibition.
The 2023 WNC Regional Judges are: Kelly Hider of Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Alexandria Monque of YMI Cultural Center and Noir Collective AVL, and Lei Han of University of North Carolina Asheville. The judges carefully viewed each entry then selected Gold Key, Silver Key, and Honorable Mention award recipients across all media. Artworks receiving Gold Keys have been submitted to compete in the 100th-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 artwork is one of the Best in Show of the WNC regional awards. One of these American Visions nominees will be chosen to receive an American Visions Medal at the 2023 National Scholastic Art Awards.
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 from the Awards as a teen.
National Gold Key medalists will be announced in March 2023 and honored during a special awards ceremony in June 2023. For more information about the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers and the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, visit their website.
Robert Rauschenberg, Autobiography, 1968
In the late 70s, Bradley Jeffries had a chance meeting with Robert Rauschenberg outside his home on Captiva Island, and they bonded immediately. Bradley was hired to be the artist’s business and life manager. Her employment with him for over 30 years, until his death in 2008, involved many roles on the Board of Directors of Change, Inc and The Rauschenberg Foundation. Bradley’s travels with Rauschenberg took her on incredible adventures all over the world and exposed her to extraordinary opportunities. Throughout their friendship and work together, Rauschenberg gifted Bradley with many of his original artworks.
The family and friends of Bradley Jeffries will use her expansive and never previously exhibited Rauschenberg collection as a means of memorializing Bradley through this traveling exhibition. “Rauschenberg: A Gift in Your Pocket” opens on April 25, 2022 at the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College in Ft. Myers for display throughout the summer. After which her collection will travel to The University of Kentucky Art Museum followed by its culminating exhibition at BMCM+AC.
Once her collection of Rauschenberg’s artwork completes its planned memorial exhibitions, pieces will be donated to each of the involved institutions in an ongoing memorial to Bradley and her legacy of promoting the arts and artists.
Curated by Jade Dellinger, Director of the Bob Rauschenberg Gallery at Florida Southwestern State College.
Included with admission
Our latest fun-for-all-ages botanical model train displays invite you to experience the Vanderbilt family’s love of travel and culture in an engaging new way.
Located in Antler Hill Village, these displays feature replicas of iconic landmark structures from around the world, some of which the Vanderbilts visited during their travels. Each beautifully executed piece was handcrafted from such natural elements as leaves, bark, and twigs. This one-of-a-kind, must-see experience is included with Biltmore admission.
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Tracey Morgan Gallery is pleased to present landmarks, an exhibition of new work by photographer Colby Caldwell. On view are large-scale, wax coated color photographic prints of elements from the natural world abstracted by digital interventions. Paired with these are small, meditative photographs taken from the forest floor of bright skies framed by treetops. In his most recent work, Caldwell explores the forests of the Blue Ridge Mountains collecting what could be thought of as visual “field recordings.” Using a flatbed scanner as a makeshift camera, Caldwell documents what he encounters on his wanderings: decomposing leaves, moss, lichen, tree bark. The resulting images are punctuated by digital interferences – unnatural hues of pinks, reds, and greens, swaths of pixilation, and large streaks where the scanner attempts and fails to “accurately” record information. Caldwell asks us to examine often overlooked details from the forest floor in a new view, not shying from the digital idiosyncrasies inherent in the process of scanning 3-dimensional objects on a flat surface. Where much of Caldwell’s previous work has included bringing nature into his studio, this series flips the script in a unique examination of technology’s place in the natural world. The work pushes at the parameters of traditional, photo historical nature specimen documentation. Caldwell is less interested in precisely cataloging samples, and more interested in investigating which tools we use to do so. The work additionally looks at how history is held within the landscape, and the ways humans have appropriated the land, contested its ownership, and used it for sustenance. Caldwell’s unconventional, experimental methodology of documentation seems to be pointing to the many ways these histories have been obscured, and the way our connection to nature has changed in the contemporary digital era. Colby Caldwell (American, born 1965), once a student of history, has tested virtually every avenue of the personal uses of photography as an instrument of memory. While his early work replicated the theatrical feeling of 19th Century “drawing with light,” his most recent efforts deconstruct the very elements of digital photography. Caldwell has held teaching positions at the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, DC; St. Mary’s College of Maryland; and currently at Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, NC. His work is included in the collections of The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX; the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC; and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA. Caldwell received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Corcoran College of Art + Design in 1990. Recent solo exhibitions include Selu Songs at the Radford Art Museum in early 2022. He was featured in the book Art of the State, published November 2022, which surveys contemporary art in his home state of North Carolina. He currently lives and works in Asheville, NC.
An enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Luzene Hill advocates for Indigenous sovereignty—linguistically, culturally, and individually. Revelate builds upon Hill’s investigation of pre-contact cultures. This has led Hill to incorporate the idea of Ollin, the Nahuatl word for the natural rhythms of the universe, in Aztec cosmology in her work. Before Europeans arrived in North America, Indigenous societies were predominantly matrilineal. Women were considered sacred, involved in the decision-making process, and thrived within communities holding a worldview based on equilibrium.
Ollin emphasizes that we are in constant state of motion and discovery. Adopted as an educational framework, particularly in social justice and ethnic studies, Ollin guides individuals through a process of reflection, action, reconciliation, and transformation. This exhibition combines Hill’s use of mylar safety blankets alongside recent drawings. Capes constructed of mylar burst with energy and rustle with subtle sound, the shining material a signifier of care, awareness, displacement, and presence. Though Hill works primarily in sculpture, drawing has increasingly become an essential part of her practice as she seeks to communicate themes of feminine and Indigenous power across her entire body of work. The energy within her drawings extends to the bursts of light reflecting from her capes or the accumulation of materials in other installation works.
Luzene Hill was born in Atlanta, GA, in 1946. She received her bachelor of fine art and master of fine art from Western Carolina University. She lives and works on the Qualla Boundary, Cherokee, NC.
Natural Collector is organized by the Asheville Art Museum. IMAGE: Christian Burchard, Untitled (nesting bowls), 1998, madrone burl, various from 6 × 6 × 6 to ⅜ × ⅜ × ⅜ inches. Gift of Fleur S. Bresler, 2021.76.01.
Natural Collector | Gifts of Fleur S. Bresler features around 15 artworks from the collection of Fleur S. Bresler, which include important examples of modern and contemporary American craft including wood and fiber art, as well as glass and ceramics. These works that were generously donated by contemporary craft collector Bresler to the Asheville Art Museum over the years reflect her strong interest in wood-based art and themes of nature. According to Associate Curator Whitney Richardson, “This exhibition highlights artworks that consider the natural element from which they were created or replicate known flora and fauna in unexpected materials. The selection of objects displayed illustrates how Bresler’s eye for collecting craft not only draws attention to nature and artists’ interest in it, but also accentuates her role as a natural collector with an intuitive ability to identify themes and ideas that speak to one another.”
This exhibition presents work from the Collection representing the first generation of American wood turners like Rude Osolnik and Ed Moulthrop, as well as those that came after and learned from them, such as Philip Moulthrop, John Jordan, and local Western North Carolina (WNC) artist Stoney Lamar. Other WNC-based artists in Natural Collector include Anne Lemanski, whose paper sculpture of a snake captures the viewer’s imagination, and Michael Sherrill’s multimedia work that tricks the eye with its similarity to true-to-life berries. Also represented are beadwork and sculpture by Joyce J. Scott and Jack and Linda Fifield.
Asheville-born and Raleigh-Durham-based interdisciplinary artist Sherrill Roland’s socially driven practice draws upon his experience with wrongful incarceration for a crime he did not commit and seeks to open conversations about how we care for our communities and one another with compassion and understanding. Through sculpture, installation, and conceptual art, Roland engages visitors in dialogues around community, social contract, identity, biases, and other deeply human experiences. Comprised of artwork created from 2016 to the present, Sherrill Roland: Sugar, Water, Lemon Squeeze reflects on making something from nothing, lemonade from lemons, the best of a situation. A reference to a simple recipe from the artist’s childhood, the title also speaks to Roland’s employment of materials available to him while incarcerated, such as Kool-Aid and mail from family members. In the face of his personal experiences, he invites viewers to confront their own uncomfortable complicity in perpetuating injustice. Roland’s work humanizes these difficult topics and creates a space for communication and envisioning a better future. This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator, in collaboration with the Artist. This exhibition is funded, in part, by a grant from South Arts in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.