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.

Friday, June 10, 2022
Annual Juried Exhibition Calling Visual Artists
Jun 10 all-day
online w/ Artists Collective | Spartanburg
Asheville Gallery of Art’s June Exhibit: “Nature Mirrors” with artist Cynthia Llanes
Jun 10 all-day
Asheville Gallery of Art

The Asheville Gallery of Art presents oil painter Cynthia Llanes during the month of June in a show entitled, “Nature’s Mirrors”. The opening reception is on First Friday, June 3, 2022, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Cynthia will feature the ever-changing phenomena of nature. She says, “Nature speaks to us so eloquently about love, beauty, design, harmony of colors, and so much more. Every day nature tells us a story and I feel compelled to share its story through my new collection of oil paintings. I like to sit in front of my easel and paint these feelings of wonder, hoping to capture what the natural world brings us to experience and enjoy.”
Cynthia uses pure, bright colors with palette knife and bold brush strokes. Painting en plein aire allows her to paint a moment in time capturing the vista before her and its beautiful stories. Her photos and outdoor sketches provide references when creating larger studio works. Painting on location gives her a lift and an emotional connection to the landscape. She says, “This is an exciting phase of my journey as an artist.”
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Cynthia pursued a career in fashion as a textile designer in the Los Angeles fashion district for many years. Inspired by the endless possibilities in visual art, she then devoted more of her time to painting. Cynthia’s vision for her art was transformed after moving from California to Western North Carolina.
She has travelled extensively in Asia and parts of Europe. “The many sights and scenes from all cultures have helped me in my growth as an artist. My paintings are not reproductions of what I see but I try to capture the magic in a scene and share my personal experience to connect with the viewer. I believe that art’s purpose is to uplift, inspire, communicate, and sometimes, even provoke a conversation.”
Website: https://cynthiallanesartist.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coloryourheart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthiallanesartstudio

Asheville Regional Airport: New art exhibit highlighting local artists
Jun 10 all-day
Asheville Regional Airport

Journey, the newest exhibit showing in the airport art gallery, is open to the public now through June 26, 2022. The local art is unique, vibrant and engaging, and is displayed for the enjoyment of passengers and other visitors to the airport.
The local artists’ work featured in this exhibit focus on two different mediums. Hannah Hall’s pieces show a unique method of fiber artistry that captures a variety of outdoor landscapes. Cathleen Klibanoff uses mixed media by incorporating found objects, resin casts, acrylic and more to create vibrant seasonal expressions and a study of equine forms.
“The airport is a gateway to western North Carolina and it is wonderful to be able to introduce travelers to our region to a glimpse of local art culture,” said Alexandra Ingle, Brand and Experience Designer at AVL and curator of the gallery.
Artwork can be purchased from the gallery by emailing [email protected]. Details about the program and how to apply can be found on the airport’s website at flyavl.com.
Bearfootin’ Public Art Walk + Auction
Jun 10 all-day
Hendersonville nc

ince 2003, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk has helped raise funding for Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local non-profits. In addition to raising funds, the bears offer a window into good work being done by community organizations in Henderson County.

The Bearfootin’ Bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in a spectacular fashion, with creative themes ranging from Mona Lisa to Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until auction. Participants bid during the auction to raise funds for local non-profits and Downtown Hendersonville. Winning bids up to $3,000 are split evenly between the downtown program and the nonprofit chosen by the sponsor, while bid amounts exceeding $3,000 are directed entirely to the non-profit. In 2021, the Bears raised more than $100,000, and in 2022 we hope to continue the tradition of giving.

 

Caldwell Arts Council Seeks Artists for 2023 and 2024 Exhibitions
Jun 10 all-day
online

The Caldwell Arts Council is currently accepting portfolios from local and regional artists for exhibitions in 2023 and 2024. Exhibitions run for six weeks to two months on either floor of the arts council facility.

 

Details for submitting your portfolio are available at www.caldwellarts.com. We have extended the deadline! Digital submissions will now be accepted through July 5, 2022 and may be emailed to [email protected].

 

 

About the Caldwell Arts Council

 

The Caldwell Arts Council is a regional arts center that presents a variety of programs that foster cultural arts in Caldwell County. Our gallery is housed in a historic 120+ year old home. Two floors offer four gallery spaces that have been renovated as professional exhibit spaces. Exhibits range from contemporary to traditional and include 2-D and 3-D exhibitions.

 

The Caldwell Arts Council’s programs are supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and by individual and corporate donors.

 

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Call to Action: Voice your support for the House Bills that have impact on the ARTS
Jun 10 all-day
online w/ Asheville Area Arts Council

Call to Action

Three NC bills with direct impacts on the arts have been introduced:

  • Senate Bill 914: Buncombe County Occupancy Tax Modifications
  • House Bill 1105: Makes recurring the additional $1 million in FY23 for the Grassroots Arts Program
  • House Bill 1104: Allocates an additional $500,000 to NC Arts Council General Grants in FY23

Voice your support for the House Bills here.

Learn More
International Photo Exhibit
Jun 10 all-day
Ramsey Library Blowers Gallery

The exhibit features thought-provoking photos taken by students, faculty, and staff while traveling abroad.


Accessibility

Find accessibility information for campus buildings at maps.unca.edu. For accessibility questions or to request event accommodations, please contact [email protected] or 828.250.3832.

Visitor Parking

Visitors must have a permit to park on campus — please visit the Transportation website to register.

Saturday, June 11, 2022
Annual Juried Exhibition Calling Visual Artists
Jun 11 all-day
online w/ Artists Collective | Spartanburg
Asheville Gallery of Art’s June Exhibit: “Nature Mirrors” with artist Cynthia Llanes
Jun 11 all-day
Asheville Gallery of Art

The Asheville Gallery of Art presents oil painter Cynthia Llanes during the month of June in a show entitled, “Nature’s Mirrors”. The opening reception is on First Friday, June 3, 2022, 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Cynthia will feature the ever-changing phenomena of nature. She says, “Nature speaks to us so eloquently about love, beauty, design, harmony of colors, and so much more. Every day nature tells us a story and I feel compelled to share its story through my new collection of oil paintings. I like to sit in front of my easel and paint these feelings of wonder, hoping to capture what the natural world brings us to experience and enjoy.”
Cynthia uses pure, bright colors with palette knife and bold brush strokes. Painting en plein aire allows her to paint a moment in time capturing the vista before her and its beautiful stories. Her photos and outdoor sketches provide references when creating larger studio works. Painting on location gives her a lift and an emotional connection to the landscape. She says, “This is an exciting phase of my journey as an artist.”
After completing her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, Cynthia pursued a career in fashion as a textile designer in the Los Angeles fashion district for many years. Inspired by the endless possibilities in visual art, she then devoted more of her time to painting. Cynthia’s vision for her art was transformed after moving from California to Western North Carolina.
She has travelled extensively in Asia and parts of Europe. “The many sights and scenes from all cultures have helped me in my growth as an artist. My paintings are not reproductions of what I see but I try to capture the magic in a scene and share my personal experience to connect with the viewer. I believe that art’s purpose is to uplift, inspire, communicate, and sometimes, even provoke a conversation.”
Website: https://cynthiallanesartist.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coloryourheart Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cynthiallanesartstudio

Asheville Regional Airport: New art exhibit highlighting local artists
Jun 11 all-day
Asheville Regional Airport

Journey, the newest exhibit showing in the airport art gallery, is open to the public now through June 26, 2022. The local art is unique, vibrant and engaging, and is displayed for the enjoyment of passengers and other visitors to the airport.
The local artists’ work featured in this exhibit focus on two different mediums. Hannah Hall’s pieces show a unique method of fiber artistry that captures a variety of outdoor landscapes. Cathleen Klibanoff uses mixed media by incorporating found objects, resin casts, acrylic and more to create vibrant seasonal expressions and a study of equine forms.
“The airport is a gateway to western North Carolina and it is wonderful to be able to introduce travelers to our region to a glimpse of local art culture,” said Alexandra Ingle, Brand and Experience Designer at AVL and curator of the gallery.
Artwork can be purchased from the gallery by emailing [email protected]. Details about the program and how to apply can be found on the airport’s website at flyavl.com.
Bearfootin’ Public Art Walk + Auction
Jun 11 all-day
Hendersonville nc

ince 2003, the Bearfootin’ Art Walk has helped raise funding for Downtown Hendersonville and a variety of local non-profits. In addition to raising funds, the bears offer a window into good work being done by community organizations in Henderson County.

The Bearfootin’ Bears arrive as blank slates before local artists transform each in a spectacular fashion, with creative themes ranging from Mona Lisa to Blue Ridge Mountain scenery. After the “Reveal” event in early May, the bears then take up residence in downtown Hendersonville for the duration of the summer and fall, up until auction. Participants bid during the auction to raise funds for local non-profits and Downtown Hendersonville. Winning bids up to $3,000 are split evenly between the downtown program and the nonprofit chosen by the sponsor, while bid amounts exceeding $3,000 are directed entirely to the non-profit. In 2021, the Bears raised more than $100,000, and in 2022 we hope to continue the tradition of giving.

 

Caldwell Arts Council Seeks Artists for 2023 and 2024 Exhibitions
Jun 11 all-day
online

The Caldwell Arts Council is currently accepting portfolios from local and regional artists for exhibitions in 2023 and 2024. Exhibitions run for six weeks to two months on either floor of the arts council facility.

 

Details for submitting your portfolio are available at www.caldwellarts.com. We have extended the deadline! Digital submissions will now be accepted through July 5, 2022 and may be emailed to [email protected].

 

 

About the Caldwell Arts Council

 

The Caldwell Arts Council is a regional arts center that presents a variety of programs that foster cultural arts in Caldwell County. Our gallery is housed in a historic 120+ year old home. Two floors offer four gallery spaces that have been renovated as professional exhibit spaces. Exhibits range from contemporary to traditional and include 2-D and 3-D exhibitions.

 

The Caldwell Arts Council’s programs are supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources and by individual and corporate donors.

 

###

Call to Action: Voice your support for the House Bills that have impact on the ARTS
Jun 11 all-day
online w/ Asheville Area Arts Council

Call to Action

Three NC bills with direct impacts on the arts have been introduced:

  • Senate Bill 914: Buncombe County Occupancy Tax Modifications
  • House Bill 1105: Makes recurring the additional $1 million in FY23 for the Grassroots Arts Program
  • House Bill 1104: Allocates an additional $500,000 to NC Arts Council General Grants in FY23

Voice your support for the House Bills here.

Learn More
International Photo Exhibit
Jun 11 all-day
Ramsey Library Blowers Gallery

The exhibit features thought-provoking photos taken by students, faculty, and staff while traveling abroad.


Accessibility

Find accessibility information for campus buildings at maps.unca.edu. For accessibility questions or to request event accommodations, please contact [email protected] or 828.250.3832.

Visitor Parking

Visitors must have a permit to park on campus — please visit the Transportation website to register.

Call for Artists! Art in the Heart
Jun 11 @ 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
online w/ City of Asheville

Art in the Heart will support the production/installation of up to 10 temporary art projects and/or experiences in Pack Square Plaza, with artist stipends ranging from $500 to $1,500. Interested artists and creatives must submit their proposals by 5 p.m. on June 21, 2022.

 

Clay Day
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Folk Art Center

Join us for a celebration of one of the oldest craft mediums and the makers of clay. Clay Day features craft demonstrations and hands-on activities by members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and invited guests. Watch live demonstrations of wheel-throwing, hand-building, surface design, and many other clay techniques.

Join us on Saturday, June 11th from 10am-4pm on the grassy hill behind the Folk Art Center’s auditorium. Bring a blanket and picnic, take a stroll on the mountain walking trails, and enjoy an afternoon of Clay crafting!

Earth’s Gifts | Focus Gallery Exhibition
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center

purple patchwork lap quilt

Featured Artists: Jude Stuecker (fiber) Erica Bailey (jewelry) Mary Dashiell (clay) Steve Miller (wood) Rex Redd (clay)

Floralia
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
North Carolina Glass Center
Image for Floralia

Floralia

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From April 29 through June 20, 2022, North Carolina Glass Center will present Floralia, an exhibition to celebrate the birth of Spring. In ancient Rome, the celebration of Flora, the goddess of flowering plants, included games and festivities. Our seasonal show will capture the beauty of new beginnings with glass vessels, botanical sculpture and mixed media, all with a nature theme.

All displayed art is for sale. The purchase of art  from Floralia will support local artists and the nonprofit North Carolina Glass Center.

Open daily 10am-5pm. Closed Tuesdays. Free admission.

Friends of the East Asheville Library Bag O’ Books Sale
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
East Asheville Library

Join us for a used book sale on Saturday, June 11 from 10am to 3pm. Proceeds from the sale will benefit future programs and other assistance to the East Asheville Public Library.

Questions? E-mail [email protected].

Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program Graduate Exhibition
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center
Haywood Community College’s Professional Crafts Program Graduate Exhibition
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Folk Art Center
SETH CLARK SOLO EXHIBITION
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Momentum Gallery

Seth Clark, Factory

“My work focuses on deteriorating architecture. These structures, designed to be huge forces of permanence, are continually being challenged, destroyed and forgotten. I see an inherent honesty in the face of my subject. Among all of the clutter—the shards of wood and layers of rubble—there remains a gentle resolve. As I work, I study these structures incessantly. The buildings, often on the brink of ruin, have something very energized and present trying to escape from their fragmented reality.”  –Seth Clark

This first solo show of Seth’s work at Momentum’s new space features large-scale works from his BarnGhost, and Aerial View Series.  The collection also includes some of the artist’s sculptural objects in wood.  Abstract works, which still reference weathered architecture, such as Lath Study and Vinyl Study, round out the exhibition.

TOMMY SIMPSON SOLO EXHIBITION
Jun 11 @ 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Momentum Gallery

Simpson is an imaginist who has worked in nearly every medium, including woodworking, painting, printmaking, ceramics, bookmaking, jewelry, and writing. Whether it’s a painting or sculptural object, in each of Simpson’s works there is an identifiable style that puzzles together the artist’s personal and cultural references into a signature blend of joyfulness and subtle commentary. On describing Simpson’s sensibility, Karen S. Chambers comments, “It’s whimsical and wry, naive yet saavy, inteligent but not cerebral.”  Edward S. Cooke, Jr. (Yale University) wrote, “Simpson is simply a maker who deftly blends utility, memory, irony, and spirituality in his accomplishments. Fundemental to his life has been a conviction that ‘art can be meaningful and still give joy.’ He makes faciful, whimsical objects that incorporate verbal and visual puns and probe the meanings of cultural icons, but undertakes such commentary wthin comfortable settings. His works possess an engaging tension that employs friendly humor or familiar details and conventions to inspire long-lasting thoughtfulness.”

The collection presented at Momentum spans the past 30 years, and focuses on Simpson’s sculptural furniture including cabinets, clocks, and benches, paintings, whimsical wood sculptures, pottery, and works on paper.  Tommy Simpson’s work is included in numerous public collections including the Renwick Gallery and the American Art Museum at the Smithsonian Institute, DC; and the Museum of Art and Design, NY.  

A Hand in Studio Craft: Harvey K. Littleton as Peer and Pioneer Exhibition
Jun 11 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum

Harvey K. Littleton, Amber Maze, 1968, blown glass, 8 3/4 × 10 1/2 × 6 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of Harvey K. Littleton.
Asheville, N.C.A Hand in Studio Craft: Harvey K. Littleton as Peer and Pioneer highlights recent gifts to the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection and loans from the family of glass artist Harvey K. Littleton. This exhibition places Harvey and Bess Littleton’s collection into the context of their lives, as they moved around the United States, connected with other artists, and developed their own work. This exhibition—organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator—will be on view in the Judith S. Moore Gallery at the Museum from January 19 through June 27, 2022.

Harvey K. Littleton (Corning, NY 1922–2013 Spruce Pine, NC) founded the Studio Glass Movement in the United States in 1962 when, as a teacher, he instituted a glass art program at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the first of its kind in the United States. He taught the next generation of glass artists—who taught the next—and his influence can still be seen today. But before he dedicated himself to the medium of glass, Littleton studied industrial design, ceramics, and metalwork at the University of Michigan and the Cranbrook Academy of Art in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He met his wife Bess Tamura Littleton, a painting student, at the University of Michigan. Over the course of their careers, Harvey and Bess collected artwork by their fellow artists and amassed an impressive collection from the early days of the Studio Glass Movement and the height of the American mid-century Studio Pottery Movement.

“This exhibition offers the viewer an exciting opportunity to see some of Harvey K. Littleton’s early work in ceramic and metal—directly from his family’s collection—before he began making art in glass,” says Whitney Richardson, associate curator. “Best known for his glassworks, those will be on display alongside the work of his students and his peers making clear the influence he had on them and the Studio Glass Movement.” 

Draped and Veiled Art Exhibit
Jun 11 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Draped and Veiled: 20×24 Polaroid Photographs by Joyce Tenneson showcases Joyce Tenneson’s Transformations series, which she began in 1985 and engaged with through 2005. Transformations features partially or fully nude figures poetically presented; Tenneson’s photographs have always been interested in the magic of the human figure, contained within bodies of all ages and emotions in a broad range that are both vulnerable and bold. This exhibition features 12 large Polaroids from the poetic series. Draped and Veiled will be on view May 25–October 10, 2022.
Gillian Laub’s Southern Rites Exhibit
Jun 11 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Gillian Laub, Amber and Reggie, Mount Vernon, Georgia, 2011, inkjet print, 40 × 50 inches. © Gillian Laub, courtesy of Benrubi Gallery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

American photographer Gillian Laub (born New York, 1975) has spent the last two decades investigating political conflicts, exploring family relationships, and challenging assumptions about cultural identity. In Southern Rites, Laub engages her skills as a photographer, filmmaker, and visual activist to examine the realities of racism and raise questions that are simultaneously painful and essential to understanding the American consciousness.

In 2002, Laub was sent on a magazine assignment to Mount Vernon, GA, to document the lives of teenagers in the American South. The town, nestled among fields of Vidalia onions, symbolized the archetype of pastoral, small town American life. The Montgomery County residents Laub encountered were warm, polite, protective of their neighbors, and proud of their history. Yet Laub learned that the joyful adolescent rites of passage celebrated in this rural countryside—high school homecomings and proms—were still racially segregated.

Laub continued to photograph Montgomery County over the following decade, returning even in the face of growing—and eventually violent—resistance from community members and local law enforcement. She documented a town held hostage by the racial tensions and inequities that scar much of the nation’s history. In 2009, a few months after Barack Obama’s first inauguration, Laub’s photographs of segregated proms were published in the New York Times Magazine. The story brought national attention to the town and the following year the proms were finally integrated. The power of her photographic images served as the catalyst and, for a moment, progress seemed inevitable.

Then, in early 2011, tragedy struck the town. Justin Patterson, a twenty-two-year-old unarmed African American man—whose segregated high school homecoming Laub had photographed—was shot and killed by a sixty-two-year-old white man. Laub’s project, which began as an exploration of segregated high school rituals, evolved into an urgent mandate to confront the painful realities of discrimination and structural racism. Laub continued to document the town over the following decade, during which the country re-elected its first African American president and the ubiquity of camera phones gave rise to citizen journalism exposing racially motivated violence. As the Black Lives Matter movement and national protests proliferated, Laub uncovered a complex story about adolescence, race, the legacy of slavery, and the deeply rooted practice of segregation in the American South.

Southern Rites is a specific story about 21st century young people in the American South, yet it poses a universal question about human experience: can a new generation liberate itself from a harrowing and traumatic past to create a different future?

Southern Rites is curated by Maya Benton and organized by the International Center of Photography.

In Living Color: At Home with Paint, Paper, and Thread
Jun 11 @ 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
Marquee Asheville D11

Image for In Living Color: At Home with Paint, Paper, and Thread

Brighten your walls with with works from Artsville Collective’s upcoming exhibition, “In Living Color: At Home with Paint, Paper and Thread.”  Allow these abstract pieces, in varying sizes and mediums, to light up your life. Collectively, the artwork’s tonal range is of blended neutrals and ventures into spring and fall palettes. Suit your design pleasures with pure color or wabi-sabi textural designs in a range of perspectives from three uniquely talented artists: Betsy Meyer, fibers; Karen Stastny, painting, and Michelle Wise, mixed media. Also showing: the Retro pop art of Daryl Slaton, which can be activated on your phone to reveal an animated story. For a softer approach, consider the mixed media art of Louise Glickman using paint, textiles, and natural plant materials.

Stained with Glass: Vitreograph Prints from the Studio of Harvey K. Littleton Exhibition
Jun 11 @ 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.” 

Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge
Jun 11 @ 11:00 am – 6:00 pm
Asheville Art Museum
Left to right: William Waldo Dodge Jr., Teapot, 1928, hammered silver and ebony, 8 × 5 3/4 × 9 1/2 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of William Waldo Dodge Jr. | William Waldo Dodge Jr., Lidded vegetable bowl, 1932, hammered silver, 6 × 6 5/8 × 6 5/8 inches. Asheville Art Museum. © Estate of William Waldo Dodge Jr.

Useful and Beautiful: Silvercraft by William Waldo Dodge features a selection of functional silver works by Dodge drawn from the Museum’s Collection. Organized by the Asheville Art Museum and curated by Whitney Richardson, associate curator, this exhibition will be on view in the Debra McClinton Gallery at the Museum from February 23 through October 17, 2022.

William Waldo Dodge Jr. (Washington, DC 1895–1971 Asheville, NC) moved to Asheville in 1924 as a trained architect and a newly skilled silversmith. When he opened for business promoting his handwrought silver tableware, including plates, candlesticks, flatware (spoons, forks, and knives), and serving dishes, he did so in a true Arts and Crafts tradition. The aesthetics of the style were dictated by its philosophy: an artist’s handmade creation should reflect their hard work and skill, and the resulting artwork should highlight the material from which it was made. Dodge’s silver often displayed his hammer marks and inventive techniques, revealing the beauty of these useful household goods.

The Arts and Crafts style of England became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Asheville was an early adopter of the movement because of the popularity and abundance of Arts and Crafts architecture in neighborhoods like Biltmore Forest, Biltmore Village, and the area around The Grove Park Inn. The title of this exhibition was taken from the famous quotation by one of the founding members of the English Arts and Crafts Movement, William Morris, who said, “have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” Not only did Dodge follow this suggestion; he contributed to American Arts and Crafts silver’s relevancy persisting almost halfway into the 20th century.

“It has been over 15 years since the Museum exhibited its collection of William Waldo Dodge silver and I am looking forward to displaying it in the new space with some new acquisitions added,” said Whitney Richardson, associate curator. Learn more at ashevilleart.org.

New volunteer opportunities: TFAC’s new Jeanne Parker Gallery
Jun 11 @ 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Tryon Fine Arts Center

Volunteer Docent Opportunities
Beginning June 7, 2022
Overview & training provided.

Docents will serve as hosts and share information about the art on exhibit in the lovely Parker Gallery.

Current Opening for Volunteers
12 Noon – 2 PM &/0r  2 – 4 PM
on the following days:
Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
Thursdays & Fridays
and
Fourth Fridays – June 24 & July 22 from 5 – 7 PM

Click here to sign up by email or request details.