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.

Thursday, March 9, 2023
StoryMaps: Interactive Story of Conservation in Buncombe County
Mar 9 all-day
online

With vibrant photographs and engaging data, Buncombe County’s new ESRI StoryMap is now available to help the public learn more about land conservation. With the Commissioners setting the goal of preserving 20% of County land by 2030, these maps are a timely way to provide an immersive journey into the past, present, and future of land conservation. “It’s also a tool that helps explain the County’s Ag and Land Resources conservation easement process that is overseen by the County Land Conservation Advisory Board and the Ag Advisory Board,” explains Farmland Preservation Program Manager Ariel Zijp. “The story map provides background information about the two Boards and shows their conservation focus areas in Buncombe County.

Beyond the sharp aesthetic of the website, there is a vast repository of conservation-related data, processes, and overall information. “Three of the four maps are interactive and allow residents to zoom in and out of the map,” says Farmland Preservation Program Coordinator Avni Naik. “Please remember that the focus areas help us guide conservation in the County but are not the sole determinant of project approval. If a property does not fall in a focus area we will still evaluate its conservation values through field work and landowner meetings. Similarly, a property that falls in a focus area does not mean automatic project approval. It would help the project rank higher, but other due diligence will still be carried out to ensure the best available projects are funded.

Ultimately, the County believes these maps increase transparency and awareness about the importance of land conservation and the process of creating easements. “I hope this tool helps people understand that there is a conscious, research-based approach to the County’s conservation easement process and our conservation focus areas,” explains Zijp.

View the maps here.

Buncombe County would like to thank the following partners for their help with the creation of these StoryMaps:

Summer Camp at Nantahala Outdoor Center Registration Open
Mar 9 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

Teens at a kayak Summer Day Camp

Summer Day Camp is a great option for kids ages 9-17 with any skill level to learn and practice on the iconic rivers and lakes of Western North Carolina. Paddlers from beginner to advanced will receive high-quality instruction from our elite team while having fun and making friends.

 

Summer Camp Sign Up Open
Mar 9 all-day
Asheville Art Museum

Join us at the Museum for Summer Art Camp! Offered to rising K–12th grade students, all classes are age appropriate. Enrollment is limited, and pre-registration is required. Registration includes Museum admission and all materials necessary for each class. Classes are offered weekly for seven consecutive weeks, starting June 19 and running through the week of August 7.

Morning (9am–noon) and afternoon (1–4pm) sessions are offered each week. Students may sign up for both morning and afternoon sessions and stay for both sessions.

Camp Costs

Morning (9am–noon) or afternoon (1–4pm) half-day session: $130

Full day (9am–4pm, both morning and afternoon sessions): $250

Members receive a 10 percent discount.

Registration opens March 1. To be added to our Family Programs mailing list, click here. For more information, call 828.253.3227.

The Museum is committed to making our programs accessible to everyone, regardless of economic means. With support from the Walnut Cove Members Association, we’re able to provide a limited amount of financial aid to help students who could not otherwise afford to enroll in our programs.

Wilderness Medicine + Survival Skills at Nantahala Outdoor Center
Mar 9 all-day
Nantahala Outdoor Center

LEARN MORE THIS YEAR

Brush up on your wilderness medicine or learn new survival skills! SOLO Southeast & NOC are offering over 200 courses in 2023 and classes in locations across the southeast.

  • Atlanta, GA
  • Bryson City, NC
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Collegedale, TN
  • Greenville, SC

Find your next course with SOLO Southeast and be prepared for the unexpected!

Food Scraps Drop Off: Stephens-Lee Recreation Center
Mar 9 @ 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
Stephens-Lee Recreation Center

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

    • 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

West Asheville Library – “Food Scrap Bin Shelters” on the south side of the building

942 Haywood Road, Asheville

    • Library open hours
    • Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center85 Panther Branch Road, Alexander
        • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
        • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
Double Take Art Exhibition
Mar 9 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Ramsey Library

During the 2020 lockdown, Jeremy Phillips, UNCA Alum and adjunct professor of Humanities, started painting interiors of his house in West Asheville.

Many of these interiors included Jeremy’s more abstract art that was on the walls. In this show, “Double Take”, the two worlds come together: paintings of paintings in an internal architecture of home.

Food Scraps Drop Off: Buncombe County Landfill
Mar 9 @ 8:00 am – 4:30 pm
Buncombe County Landfill – Convenience Center

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

    • 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

    • 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

    • 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

    • Library open hours
WNC Farmers Market
Mar 9 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
WNC Farmers Market

NCDA&CS - Marketing Division - Western North Carolina Farmers Market

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

Run Local, Run Further: Brand New Running Group
Mar 9 @ 8:30 am
Fletcher Community Park

Discover the beauty of the area and get fit in the process with the introduction of a new running group! Inviting all levels of runners, the Run Local Run Group can help you explore your local community like never before.

If you are looking for a new way to stay active, meet people, and explore your local area this is the running group for you! iDream Athletes Foundation is excited to launch and announce the new Run Local Run Group starting in March! Our new monthly run group is perfect for runners of all levels, ages, and paces. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned veteran, come join us on Thursday morning, March 9th at 8:30 am at Bill Moore Community Park (formerly Fletcher Park) and start clocking those miles.

Each month we will explore a new spot in the area to meet up and run together. We will always run on a weekday morning, so that you won’t miss out on your evening and weekend group runs that you already have on your schedule!

We know that staying healthy isn’t just about our physical bodies – it’s about community too. That’s why we’re focusing on creating a strong sense of camaraderie among runners in the area. Whether you want to run 3 miles or push yourself with longer distance goals, our group will be there to support you every step of the way. Of course, the best part is that the meet-ups are free!

At Run Local Run Group we believe in creating an inclusive environment for everyone in our community. We encourage you to bring friends and family of all abilities so that everyone can feel included and motivated to reach their goals. Let’s come together as a community and spread health and wellness through running!

An Abundance of Riches
Mar 9 @ 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
NC Arboretum

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.

TSA PreCheck® Mobile Enrollment Event at AVL
Mar 9 @ 9:00 am
AVL - Asheville Regional Airport

IdentoGO® will roll its TSA PreCheck® mobile enrollment truck into:

AVL – Asheville Regional Airport
61 Terminal Drive
Fletcher, NC 28732

for a TSA PreCheck® enrollment public event:

March 6 – March 10, 2023

3/6 – 3/9 : 9 AM – 12 PM & 1 PM – 5 PM;
3/10: 9 AM – 12 PM 

*Look for the Enrollment Truck in the Cell Phone Lot across the street from the terminal*

To participate in this local enrollment event, follow these steps to pre-enroll

  1. Click here to access the application page
  2. Click “Start Application Now”, then click “New Enrollment”
  3. Fill out steps and choose “Next” at the bottom of each screen
  4. Select the location Fletcher, NC – Truck Pop-Up: AVL 3/6-3/10 and click Next
  5. Select your desired appointment time (Please be sure to make note of your appointment time)

Attendees must bring a government-issued photo ID with proof of U.S. Citizenship (i.e. a passport or birth certificate; name on documents must match exactly) and complete a 10-minute fingerprinting process. Once approved, you will receive a KTN (Known Traveler Number) and have access to TSA PreCheck® expedited security lanes for five years at a cost of $85 ($17 per year).

An Abstract Classicist: California Hard-Edge
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Bender Gallery
Johal’s process is part painstaking and part intuitive. She begins by arranging cut out shapes or creating sketches of the overall composition, which is of utmost importance, balanced and full of energy. She then transfers the design onto a sanded canvas using tape, templates, or other tools to achieve a clean hard edge. Now the music begins. Using high quality acrylic paints, Johal spontaneously applies color to the canvas, letting the music guide her choices. Her understanding of Color Theory is instinctive yet effective and, along with her forms, creates a kind of dance on the surface.
Angela Johal (b.1962), US, has a Bachelor of Fine Art (BFA) Magna Cum Laude from San Jose State University in San Jose, CA. Johal has taken part in solo and group exhibitions in prestigious institutes and such as de Young Museum, San Francisco, SFMOMA Artist’s Gallery, San Francisco and in art galleries in LA, Boston, NY, Montreal, and more.
Artists Collective | Spartanburg Retail Volunteer Opportunities
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
The Artists Collective | Spartanburg

 

Do you have a love for art and creativity?  Do you have some time on your hands?  Are you interested in getting to know a terrific group of talented artists?

Volunteering at the Artists Collective | Spartanburg may be the right move for you.  Come see what all the buzz is about and expand your circle of influence!  We are actively seeking people to volunteer at the Collective in the retail role.

 

Now is the time to make a change and get out there!  We will be happy to have you aboard.

Asheville Parks + Rec. 2023 Winter-Spring program guide
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am
online

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

  • Exercise at fitness centers with a free membership (through June 30, 2023).

  • Walk, roll, or run your way to 50 miles in February and March during the Fit 50 Challenge for a free T-shirt.

  • Celebrate Black Legacy Month with food, art, and festivals throughout the city in February.

  • Meet neighbors over cards, board games, bingo, trivia contests, and community meals.

  • 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.

  • Experience the fun, fellowship, fitness, arts, and competition of Asheville-Buncombe Senior Games and Silver Arts Classic for local adults over 50..

  • Flex creativity at art, painting, writing, scrapbooking, and crafting classes.

  • Connect with neighbors over sports such as basketball, flag football, volleyball, pickleball, tennis, and archery for kids, teens, and adults.

  • Enjoy the honor of dirty hands with community garden workdays and Green Thumbs Garden Club at Grove Street Community Center’s greenhouse.

  • Witness the power of gravity at the Montford Pinewood Derby in May.

  • Refine square, tap, line, and West African dance skills at multiple locations.

  • And so much more!

Food Scraps Drop Off: West Asheville Library
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
West Asheville Library

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

        • Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
        • Saturday, 8 a.m. – 12:30 pm
Healing Dolls Exhibition
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
MHU Weizenblatt Gallery

Healing Dolls Exhibition

Italian Renaissance Alive
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am
Biltmore Estate

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 Italian Renaissance Alive exhibition created by Grande Experiences

PLUS: FREE next-day access to Biltmore’s Gardens and Grounds

This visit includes access to:

  • Italian Renaissance Alive 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: Italian Renaissance Alive

This fascinating experience takes you on a spellbinding tour of Italy, fully immersing you in the beauty and brilliance of iconic masterworks from the greatest artistic period in history

Literacy Together Online Volunteer Orientation Meeting
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am
Zoom

Literacy Together has a determined group of students waiting for volunteer tutors so they can move forward on their goals for a better future. We’re offering in-person and remote volunteer opportunities. We have programs teaching English to immigrants, adult literacy for folks working on a GED, and youth literacy for kids struggling to learn to read. In addition, we welcome everyone -even if they are not ready to volunteer- to attend to learn about the literacy challenges we face in Buncombe County. Thank you!

PRE SALE: Shakey Graves + Trampled By Turtles
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
online

 

Shakey Graves & Trampled By Turtles

 

Rabbit Rabbit

 

Fri, Aug 4, 2023

 

Use code “SHAKEYRABBITS
for Local Online Presale
Code valid 3/9 10am – 10pm

General onsale starts 3/10 10am

PRE SALE: TEGAN AND SARA: Crybaby 2023 Tour
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 10:00 pm
online
TEGAN AND SARA: Crybaby 2023 Tour

 

TEGAN AND SARA: Crybaby 2023 Tour

 

The Orange Peel

 

Tue, Sep 26, 2023

 

Use code “OPTS2023
for Local Online Presale
Code valid 3/9 10am – 10pm

General onsale starts 3/10 10am

The Learning Garden presents: Rose Series: Pruning Roses
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am – 11:30 am
NC Cooperative Extension , Buncombe County Center

 

Presenter: Judy Deutsch, Extension Master GardenerSM Volunteer and Certified Consulting Rosarian

In Western North Carolina, roses are usually ‘hard pruned’ in the late winter or early spring. Dead or damaged canes are removed, and the plant is shaped for optimal growth and blooms.  Many rose growers are uncertain of how to correctly prune their roses.  This program unravels the mystery of pruning and will help you have healthy and happy roses.

This will be an in-person program at the Extension office at the address above. Portions of this program may be held outside; please dress appropriately for the weather. The classroom size is limited so register to reserve your seat!

TheaterWorksUSA presents The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System
Mar 9 @ 10:00 am

March 9, 2023 at 10 a.m. & 12 p.m.

Recommended for Grades K-5

Limited availability

When the class gets lost on the way to the planetarium, Ms. Frizzle saves the day by blasting into outer space for an epic interplanetary field trip! Hop on the Magic School Bus for a musical adaptation of the popular series, and join the gang as they pull together (with lessons in communication, music, science, and social studies) to return safely to planet Earth.

Reservations for individuals (10 people or less): $12 each. To reserve, call the box office at 828-257-4530 ext. 1, email [email protected], or complete the Student Series Reservation Form.

Reservations for groups (11 people or more): $11 each. To reserve, download and complete the Student Series Reservation Form. Please note that all group reservations require a deposit of $1 per ticket. Please contact the box office if you have questions.

View the Study Guide here.

Prepare for your visit, learn about the theatre, and get the most out of each performance with this Guide to the Wortham Center.

Performance Length: 60 minutes

Art Exhibit: RAUSCHENBERG: A Gift in Your Pocket
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center
RAUSCHENBERG: A Gift in Your Pocket From the Collections of Friends in Honor of Bradley Jeffries

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.

Asheville Gallery of Art “Awakenings” Group Show
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Gallery of Art

Asheville Gallery of Art’s March show, “Awakenings” features work by three new Gallery members: Jon Sebastian, Sara Bell, Andrea Stutesman. The show runs daily March 1 through March 31st, 2023 during gallery hours, 11am-6pm. An opening reception will be held March 3, 5-8pm; everyone is welcome.

The three artists will showcase their passion through three mediums, respectively. Not unlike the delicate and elusive trillium of the North Carolina mountain beds, these artists spring forward in the presentation of “Awakenings.” As featured artists of the month, Andrea Stutesman, Sara Bell, and Jon Sebastian join forces in presenting this amazing show by rendering their art using pastels, watercolors, and oil paints. Mesmerizing spring colors will grace the windows and walls of the gallery, rendering imagery of flowers, exotic and endangered animals, and vibrant landscapes. “Awakenings” is the second of three group shows featuring new artists to the gallery.

Andrea Stutesman
Andrea’s early art explorations began with pastels under the guidance of her mother, an accomplished painter. Her work is from the heart, inspired by her interactions with people and places or by the stories brought to her with requests for commissions. She strives to transform a sense of calm and connection that she experiences when painting that will invite viewers to slow down and enjoy the beauty of life.

Jon Sebastian
Art and painting in particular is, for artist Jon Sebastian, the selective recreation of reality according to his own principles and what he deems interesting and just in this world we share. Jon cannot remember a time when he did not paint. At Asheville Gallery of Art, Jon is now moving forward with confidence that others will find his works a compelling addition to their own collections. Jon paints immersive works filled with color, light and shadow. His subjects are of nature and of the peace and spirituality in which they envelope us.

Sara Bell
Sara Bell has always loved drawing. It’s a form of meditation for her and has now become a way for her to find peace and sanity when her world gets too overwhelming, which, as a single mom with a neuro-divergent teen, happens quite often. When it does, Sara follows John Muir’s quote, “Off into the woods I go to lose my mind and find my soul.” The results of these adventures are delightful sketches and photography of the forests. Sara then works from her photos to create her watercolors and intaglio prints.
Come visit this engaging and thoughtful exhibition at 82 Patton Avenue in downtown Asheville. For further information about this show, contact the Asheville Gallery of Art at (828) 251-5796, visit the Gallery’s website at ashevillegallery-of-art.com, or go to the Gallery’s Facebook page.

Luzene Hill: Revelate
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

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 | Gifts of Fleur S. Bresler
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

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.

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Paul Wong, Carbon, silver and gold, 2016, pigmented linen and cotton pulp, publisher: Dieu Donné, New York, edition 3/25, 18 × 11 inches. Gift of Dieu Donné, New York, 2022.27.06. © Paul Wong.

On View March 8 through July 24, 2023
The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery • Level 1

Paper is an essential part of the art-making process for many artists, serving as the base for drawing, painting, printmaking, and other forms of art. As a substrate, paper can vary in weight, absorbency, color, size, and other aspects. Since industrialization, paper has primarily been produced through mechanical means that allow for consistency and affordability.

What happens, then, when an artist chooses to return to the foundations of paper, wherein it is made by hand using pulps, fibers, and dyes that reflect the human element through variations, inconsistencies, flaws, and surprises? Certain artists have sought out these qualities and embraced them, making paper not just a support on which to work, but fully a medium in and of itself.

Pulp Potential: Works in Handmade Paper is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, former assistant curator, with assistance from Alexis Meldrum, curatorial assistant. Special thanks to Dieu Donné, New York, NY.

Sherrill Roland: Sugar, Water, Lemon Squeeze
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

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.

Stained with Glass: Vitreograph Prints from the Studio of Harvey K. Littleton Exhibition
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
 
Left: Thermon Statom, Frankincense, 1999, siligraphy from glass plate with digital transfer on BFK Rives paper, edition 50/50, 36 1/4 × 29 3/8 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Thermon Statom. | Right: Dale Chihuly, Suite of Ten Prints: Chandelier, 1994, 4-color intaglio from glass plate on BRK Rives paper, edition 34/50, image: 29 ½ × 23 ½ inches, sheet: 36 × 29 ½ inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Dale Chihuly / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.
Asheville, N.C.—The selection of works from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection presented in Stained with Glass: Vitreograph Prints from the Studio of Harvey K. Littleton features imagery that recreates the sensation and colors of stained glass. The exhibition showcases Littleton and the range of makers who worked with him, including Dale Chihuly, Cynthia Bringle, Thermon Statom, and more. This exhibition—organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Hilary Schroeder, assistant curator—will be on view in The Van Winkle Law Firm Gallery at the Museum from January 12 through May 23, 2022.

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

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

The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad
Mar 9 @ 11:00 am – 7:00 pm
Biltmore Estate

Included with admission

Back by popular demand, The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad exhibition offers guests:

  • An opportunity to view rarely-seen treasures from the Biltmore collection
  • A first-hand look at the Vanderbilts’ lifestyle
  • Deeper insights into George, Edith, and Cornelia’s personalities, both at home and on their extensive travels

Access to exhibitions at The Biltmore Legacy is included with Biltmore daytime admission.