ASHEVILLE
THE ARTS AND CULTURE OF COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS
FEBRUARY 2025
“I
Here’s February. Rime ice mornings. Brilliant sun days. It’s a month that can be so cold, but, too, there are daffodil shoots and other signs of spring. And we humans have found ways to warm our souls in these last days of winter: Groundhog Day celebrations (p. 54), a glass of wine (p. 36) or planning for summer harvests. (p. 60) In keeping with thoughts of spring, this issue has the birds (p. 56), the bees (p. 31) and the welcome charm of early flowers. (p. 57)
All of the rebuilding and revitalization around Western North Carolina ties in with well with early signs of spring. Winter—and times of despair like what we all suffered last fall—can seem as if they will last forever, but I like these words by Hal Borland: “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.”
Artist Elizabeth Mayton (p. 8) recalls painting Red and Pink Flowers 46, the image on this month’s cover of The Laurel, on a beautiful spring day. Although the last few years have been hard for her due to losing people she loves, creating helps her to heal. “When I stop and reflect on what I just created,” she says, “I feel as if I have a better understanding of what I am experiencing.” We feature the work also of Stephanie Ellis (p. 42), who creates fine handcrafted jewelry, and who, until Hurricane Helene, worked at Curve Studios in the River Arts District. “My studio has always been my happy place, and I have been mourning the loss of the space and the wonderful community of artists that made this space such a vibrant place to create,” she says. She has a new space at Radview, however, and looks forward to the spring when she will host an opening party.
In February, it seems we all look forward to warmer, greener days. But as our associate editor Emma Castleberry, highly skilled and greatly experienced in outdoors adventuring, recommends: don’t wait for spring to plan those hikes in the woods. (p. 44) Winter has its own unadorned loveliness. Or, if you feel like hiking closer to civilization, the Carl Sandburg Home has reopened most of its trails, where you can take time to traipse along, taking into account some of the pre-Carl history of this beautiful spot. (p. 22)
Every month has its beauty. As we all continue to recover, rebuild and reimagine, may you find time to seek out what is beautiful, hopeful and joyous in our natural world.
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The Laurel of Asheville Volume 22 – Issue #2 • Copyright 2025 323 N. Main St., Suite 1 Hendersonville, NC 28792 828.513.3888 | TheLaurelofAsheville.com
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HULSEY
Gina Malone
Provides Lifeline to Asheville’s Arts and Culinary Workers
By EMMA CASTLEBERRY
Artists and culinary workers were among the hardest hit workers in our region following Hurricane Helene. An ongoing initiative, WNC Tip It Forward, aims to support them with emergency relief grants and long-term fundraising. “The WNC Tip It Forward program is uniquely targeted at two of Asheville’s most defining sectors: the arts and culinary workforce,” says Drew Sparacia, CEO of GBX Group. “These sectors are not only economic drivers but also the cultural heartbeat of Western North Carolina. This initiative has a longterm goal to preserve what makes Asheville so special by supporting the communities themselves that help bring people together through shared experiences—food, music and art.”
University, which she had been paying for with her serving job. “When awful things happen like people losing loved ones, homes, jobs and dreams from a natural disaster, it can be easy to lose hope in rebuilding,” says Burrows. “The WNC Tip It Forward program helped me stay afloat during a dark time. I hope that one day I can pay this grant forward to someone else when they need it, too.”
Launched in October by GBX Group, Asheville Independent Restaurants (AIR) and ArtsAVL, the program has already provided significant relief. ArtsAVL has distributed more than 1,500 grants of $500 each to impacted artists across 18 counties, while AIR has supported culinary workers in Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson and Madison counties. The funds address immediate needs and help bridge the gap as individuals and businesses work toward recovery.
Lauren Burrows, a fine dining server, lost critical income during the hurricane’s aftermath. The grant allowed her to continue her nursing education at Western Carolina
Artist Kim Self, whose second-floor studio in Riverview Station was severely damaged, used the grant funds to cover bills and offset the loss of her primary sales season. “October through December is when most RAD artists make the bulk of their sales for the year,” she says. “The grant opportunities, including those from ArtsAVL and AIR, add up to get the arts community through this. It’s not enough, but it’s something. I will be saving and working towards opening my studio again when Riverview Station reopens.”
WNC Tip It Forward is a long-term relief effort designed to sustain recovery through at least 2025. In addition to the individual grants, the initiative will use its funding for small business relief grants for creative and culinary businesses. “Asheville’s vibrant arts and culinary scene is a key part of the region’s identity and economy,” says Sparacia. “Supporting these workers ensures the long-term resilience, economic vitality and unique culture of Western North Carolina.”
All donations are divided equally between ArtsAVL and AIR. Learn more and donate at WNCTip.org.
Jettie Rae’s Oyster House
Photos by Kara Dahlberg
Resilience Exhibition Continues at Mica Gallery
Mica Gallery’s exhibition, Resilience: Artists
Respond to Hurricane Helene, opened in January and runs through Friday, February 28. The storm drew artists like Kate Vogel to lead the effort of volunteers at Bowman Middle School, one of Mitchell County’s main distribution centers. Her glass sculptures, made in collaboration with John Littleton, are included in the exhibition and represent the importance of hands in extending support. “Running a hurricane relief supply distribution center,” says Vogel, “I have heard so many stories and the longing of the people to return to a time when their lives had not been torn apart.”
“Coming from the Caribbean, I never expected a storm like this in the mountains of Western North Carolina, far from the sea,” says Cristina Córdova, also included in the
Photographer James Henkel includes three works— Wind, Water and Blocked—which starkly and mysteriously capture the human experience of the environment post-storm. “Wind and water are literally the definition of Feng Shui,” he says, “and a barrier is an obstruction to be avoided, as it stops the flow of the energy of the world.
My photographs are direct responses to the life-changing forces of Helene, which has so thoroughly disrupted our community’s landscape in profound ways.”
Gertrude “Gay” Graham Smith continues to recover her studio after the flood. Poignantly, her two porcelain candelabrum tell the story of damage and loss. “As my dog and I raced to shelter in a storage shed, water and mud surged through my kiln room,” she says. “My candelabras were stored there, temporarily, on the floor in cardboard boxes. After a couple of stunned days, I remembered to look for them. Initially invisible, I extracted each one slowly from the morass of mud and cardboard—joyfully intact. It could be called miraculous, their survival; it’s certainly a testament to the strength of porcelain. A metaphor?” she asks, then adds, “I am passionate about making objects to bring more light into our world.”
Doble. Cristina Córdova, artist
show. “But storms remake the world no matter where they fall. After a cyclonic upheaval, the landscape shifts into something strange—a fractured world with alien contours.” Her ceramic works in the exhibition, Dame Flores and Cabeza, respond to the way nature, evidenced by bird songs and new growth, eventually reclaims the landscape. She speaks of “small, persistent acts of life that anchor us and provide a guiding eye and spirit toward renewal in the face of disaster.”
In addition to the Resilience exhibition, Mica will host a fundraiser for Mitchell County Animal Rescue (MCAR) during the month of February. For the Love of Animals is an exhibition and sale of works contributed by artists to benefit MCAR’s work. The opening event is Friday, February 7, from 5–7 p.m. Contributions of $10 per person are requested at the door. The benefit show and sale runs through March 1.
Mica is an artist-run gallery of fine art and contemporary craft located at 37 North Mitchell Avenue in Bakersville. The gallery is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays through March, and by appointment, calling or texting Speckled Dog Pottery at 828.434.0353. In April, the gallery resumes a daily schedule. Visit the website MicaGalleryNC.com, and follow on Facebook at Mica Gallery NC or on Instagram at micagallerync.
Experience Musical Drama with the Blue Ridge Orchestra During Its 25th Season
The Blue Ridge Orchestra (BRO) continues the celebration of its 25th season with March Melodrama, featuring performances on Saturday, March 1, and Sunday, March 2, both at 3 p.m. in UNC Asheville’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Franklin Keel, a renowned cellist with many ties to Asheville’s musical scene, will lead the orchestra as guest conductor.
“Franklin Keel has a rich history with the BRO spanning many years,” says Deb Kenney, president of the BRO board of directors. “Starting in his student days, he played in our cello section. Since then, he has coached our string sections, guest conducted and, to the delight of our audiences, has frequently performed as a guest soloist. Keel most recently astounded patrons with a beautiful Cello Concerto and encore for our 24th season finale in May of 2024, and will always be remembered for his exquisite performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor, performed at our first full concert emerging from COVID.”
The programming of this season also continues to reflect Western North Carolina’s resilience after Hurricane Helene. Selections for March Melodrama include Christoph Willibald Gluck’s Overture to Iphigénie en Aulide, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Concerto No. 23 in A major, K. 488 and Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8 in G major—pieces, says BRO music director Emily Mariko Eng, that capture our collective and individual feelings of “joy, despair, hopelessness, optimism, anxiety, peace, loneliness, connection, struggle and triumph.”
It is with a since of humbleness and pride that BRO promotes local music at this and other challenging times, adds orchestra manager Priscilla Anderson. “As Dr. Eng expresses, this program will bring our emotions to the surface from the past several months,” she says. “Audiences will be exposed to a dramatic variety of tones, conversations and connections to folk music.”
The Blue Ridge Orchestra is a volunteer, nonprofit ensemble. Tickets for the performance are $20 for general admission, $15 for Friends of the Orchestra members and $5 for students. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit BlueRidgeOrchestra.org or call 828.782.3354.
Atlas. Elizabeth Mayton, artist
Elizabeth Mayton
By GINA MALONE
Elizabeth Mayton was born in Atlanta into a family of members who express themselves in many creative ways, and so it was no surprise when she began creating as a toddler. “My mother told me that I started drawing images when I was really little, probably a little over two years old,” she says. “My first drawings were probably of our pet cats. They look like amoebas with eyes and whiskers. She and my family remember me always drawing and creating things.”
When she was three years old, it was determined that Mayton was deaf in her left ear and, in her right, had severe hearing loss, mainly with high frequencies. Until the discovery and subsequently being fitted with a hearing aid, she had not spoken. Over the years, with speech therapy, she learned to communicate and developed a passion for special education. During undergraduate studies in Art History with a minor in Visual Art, she explored drawing, design, metalsmithing, ceramics and sculpture. In 2006, she obtained a Masters degree in Deaf Education so that she could work with students. Her work involves traveling among public schools in a district for one-on-one work with students requiring specific instruction as well as working with teachers on how to accommodate the needs of deaf and hard-ofhearing students.
Through the years, however, she has always made time for art. “I believe my deafness is what inspired me to draw and create images starting at a very young age,” she says. “It was my way of expressing myself without having to talk. I can relax and just focus on creating. I did a lot of portraits of family members, friends, pets, plants, landscapes, still life, whatever I found interesting.” Growing up, she spent many summers at her grandfather’s apple orchard exploring the outdoors. “This exposed me to so many beautiful and interesting things nature has to offer,” she says. “I drew a lot of what I saw and experienced. I even made a little space where I would draw in the corner of this old barn; my first studio. The walls would be covered in my drawings, and I had a little table filled with art
The Hearing Aid Peddler
Don’t Cry
Elizabeth Mayton
materials and things I found in nature, such as sticks, rocks, feathers and, of course, apples. I would incorporate what I found in my art and draw them.”
In high school, an art teacher inspired her to push herself as an artist. “She encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and try different things,” Mayton says. “I remember learning that the tool is not as important as how we use the tool. You can use the most expensive paintbrush made of the best material, but it does not guarantee that it will help you create your best work. In one class, we tried different materials found in nature— pinecones, pine straw, sticks. I made a paintbrush out of leaves and made prints using various rocks. I was surprised by the amazing textures they created. It was fun. Whenever I feel stuck, I will try different mediums or materials to help inspire new ideas.”
highlighted works of eight deaf artists through performances and visuals,” says Mayton. “I also participate every year in the Florida Deaf Art Show.”
Some of her works convey the frustration of trying to communicate as a deaf or hard-of-hearing person.
In the years she has been creating, Mayton has welcomed change in her work. “I expect to keep evolving over time,” she says. “I am always learning and willing to try new things. I think it is important to not get stuck on one idea or style.”
Currently, “bold” and “colorful” describe her paintings of flowers and people. “I mainly paint with acrylic paints and sometimes I use mixed media,” she says. “I am experimenting with using neon and metallic colors. I often use very vibrant colors and continuous black lines. The colors in some of my floral paintings almost seem as if they are vibrating or moving. Some of my paintings appear to glow in dark rooms, which is really cool and sometimes kind of spooky. These colorful floral paintings are in your face and loud. I am attracted to very loud and colorful things.”
“I have done some bizarre abstract portraits depicting a person with their hand over their mouth,” she says. “I get nervous when someone covers their mouth as they speak. I rely on lip reading and when I cannot see someone’s mouth or face, it makes it almost impossible for me to understand. In some of my portraits, you will see their mouth or teeth through the hand (as if the hand is invisible); it is to add some humor and to make it more bizarre. That is how it feels when I am trying to listen during challenging situations. It feels uncomfortable, but sometimes laughing about it is the best thing I can do.”
In Western North Carolina she is represented by Mirrorball Gallery, in Tryon. “Elizabeth Mayton’s artwork is a playful exploration of the imagination, where whimsy and wonder collide in a symphony of color,” says Alexander Page, Mirrorball’s gallery curator and proprietor.
“Her pieces invite viewers to journey into a world where the ordinary is transformed into the extraordinary, revealing vibrant layers of interpretation.”
When she is painting with bold colors, Mayton says, she feels intense emotions, seeing them in the layers of paint. “On days I feel like creating, it is a great thing that helps me heal,” she says. “I can just focus on what is in front of me and pour my feelings into it. It is cathartic. When I stop and reflect on what I just created, I feel as if I have a better understanding of what I am experiencing. I am constantly learning new things about myself.”
Her work was recently part of an exhibition titled Feel the Music: Deaf Creatives in OUMA at Atlanta’s Oglethorpe University Museum of Art. “This exhibition
Find Elizabeth Mayton’s work at Mirrorball Gallery, 84 Pacolet Street, Tryon. Learn more at MirrorballGallery.com. Follow Elizabeth on Instagram @ elizabethmaytonart, and contact her at emayton7@gmail.com.
Beautiful. Elizabeth Mayton, artist
I’m Listening #1. Elizabeth Mayton, artist
38th Annual National Conference Returns to Grove Park Inn
Returning for its 38th year, the National Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows will take place Friday to Sunday, February 21 to 23, at Asheville’s historic Omni Grove Park Inn. The event will feature a rich array of antiques, contemporary crafts, educational workshops and seminars in celebration of the Arts and Crafts movement. “After such a difficult last quarter of 2024 brought on by the effects of Hurricane Helene, the beauty of this show at the historic Grove Park Inn is providing normalcy for not only our local supporters who come every year but also the local artists in the show who look forward to seeing their clients every year,” says director Kate Nixon.
The Arts and Crafts movement, which began in the late 19th century, revolutionized design by emphasizing hand craftsmanship and the use of natural materials. It offered a refreshing departure from the mass production of the Industrial Era, inspiring modest yet beautifully crafted bungalows filled with oak furniture, handmade pottery and metalwork. The Grove Park Inn itself is a hallmark of the style, creating an immersive experience for conference attendees.
Karen L. Hovde, owner of Interior Vision in the Craftsman Style, has been a participant in the show for 32 years. “This unique and prestigious show has been instrumental in the revival of the Craftsman Movement,” Hovde says. Her booth provides inspiration and resources
for homeowners and enthusiasts aiming to incorporate this historic style into their living spaces.
Workshops are a cornerstone of the conference, like Hovde’s three-hour session on Friday morning,“Choosing Color for the Interior of Your Bungalow.” Hovde describes the workshop as an “interactive process that will empower you in making choices of color and style development for your home interior.” Participants will create their own room set design boards using color chips, fabric and carpet samples. The session welcomes anyone with a room in mind, offering practical insights that can be applied to any dwelling, not just bungalows. Tickets for the workshop are $125. For those seeking further guidance, Hovde will also lead a onehour discussion group on Saturday titled “Choosing Paint Color for the Exterior of Your Historic Home.”
This year’s lineup of seminars features topics ranging from the design theory of Denman Ross to the radical porcelain decoration of Chicago’s Florence Pratt Steward. Pre-conference workshops led by master artisans will give attendees hands-on opportunities to craft their own linoleum prints, copperwork, embroidery and metalwork. Guided tours of the Grove Park Inn and a historic Asheville home will provide context and inspiration for those who appreciate the movement’s integration of natural beauty and functional design.
The Omni Grove Park Inn is located at 290 Macon Avenue, Asheville. Learn more and register for the conference at Arts-CraftsConference.com.
Eastwood Gallery booth at the National Arts and Crafts Antiques Show, 2024. Photo by Ray Stubblebine
Bardo Arts Center Hosts Contemporary Circus Performance in Cullowhee February 27
Bardo Arts Center at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee will host a performance of Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience by the North Carolina-based company Circus EVO on Thursday, February 27, at 7:30 p.m.
The production tells the story of a character who has lost their inner light, journeying through a surreal world where memories come to life. “Solstice is one big poem, an expression of something that almost can’t be placed into words,” says Houston Odum, artistic director of Circus EVO. “The name reflects the shortest day of the year, and it’s on this day that our show takes place. While the show omits any spoken language, it relies on visual and musical poetry to capture us and create images.”
Odum describes Solstice as a “contemporary circus show, far different from what one might think of from a traditional circus. There are no animals, and rather than acts being presented to showcase human ability, a story is created with characters, lights, music, costumes and more.”
The performance features more than eight acrobatic acts, including newly reworked acts such as a duet between a B-boy dancer and a ballet dancer and a 21-foot Chinese Pole act. Music is also central to the performance. “This year, we are lucky to have some new music composed by North Carolina local Bella Nona,” says Odum. “The entire show is weaved together with music, not
just acrobatic acts but transitions and scenes.”
Odum hopes that viewers will be able to place themselves in the story and feel immersed by the performance. “Audiences will be taken on a journey; serious moments and humorous moments are balanced,” he says. “The characters react to the audience, and take the energy from the audience in real time. We want to give the audience more than just something impressive, something that will last in the memory forever. We want audiences to leave Solstice feeling like a kid.”
The WCU Bardo Arts Center is located at 199 Centennial Drive, Cullowhee. For more information or to purchase tickets to the show, call 828.227.2787 or visit BardoArtsCenter.wcu.edu. Learn more about Circus EVO at CircusEVO.com.
Photo courtesy of Circus EVO
In February, Take Care
What better time to focus on health and wellness than in February? With unrealistic, overly ambitious (if you’re like me) New Year’s resolutions already swept into the dust bins of the mind, February offers a chance to breathe deeply, take stock of the physical and mental needs in our lives and settle into a plan for well-being that stands a chance.
“Wellness is about questioning what we’re all doing here and finding purpose,” says Jordan Turchin, the farm steward at The Horse Shoe Farm. Fortunately, Western North Carolina offers many businesses that cater to well-being in a variety of ways, as well as the beautiful natural environment that invites contemplation, creativity and recreation.
Besides a time to shower loved ones with cards, flowers, chocolates and food, Valentine’s Day is a perfect time for practicing self-love. Especially, for many of us in WNC, these last months have been steeped in collective grief and stress after Helene’s devastation. In these pages and throughout the issue, we highlight some of the businesses that offer ways to take care of our bodies and minds, whether it be with a massage or some salt cave time; regenerative aesthetics for the skin; organic, natural and locally sourced products for the pantry; or a range of holistic practices rooted in nature and community.
And then there are the small, everyday ways we care for body and mind: walking in the bracing winter air (p. 44), taking a class in creativity (p. 48), shopping for local food and products (p. 58) or enjoying a theater performance. (p. 25) If we spend the month of February in exploration of ways to live better, some of those practices will surely become meaningful, transformational parts of our daily lives.
We at The Laurel wish you all the best in strength, vitality and contentment this year and for many more to come. Take care!
A Holistic Approach to Wellness at The Horse Shoe Farm
The Horse Shoe Farm, nestled in 85 acres of rolling farmland just outside of Hendersonville, offers a transformative wellness experience rooted deeply in nature and community. The approach to wellness here is not confined to conventional notions but embraces a more dynamic and connected understanding of wellness.
“Wellness is about questioning what we’re all doing here and finding purpose,” says farm steward Jordan Turchin. “Living in the truth of these questions is central to wellness at the farm, and it all begins with the land. The land up here is magical—these mountains are made of crystal and are the oldest in the world and they manifest what you put into them.”
The farm’s wellness offerings are built on this connection to nature. For some, wellness might mean savoring a meal and a glass of wine at the farm’s restaurant, while for others, it could involve walking barefoot on the land or indulging in treatments at The Stable Spa, where offerings range from traditional massages to energy modalities and hydrotherapy.
Classes and programs at The Horse Shoe Farm delve deeper into holistic wellbeing, offering tools for grounding and self-awareness. Regular offerings include breathwork, meditation, sound baths, ecstatic dance and sweat lodges led by a Cherokee elder. “Breathwork alone can blow your mind—it’s as simple as breathing but incredibly transformative,” says Turchin.
This winter, the farm introduced Winter Wellness BEtreats, multi-day experiences focusing on introspection and connection. All of the farm’s wellness programming is intentionally designed to be immersive, often incorporating the farm’s natural elements. “You can take a class and then walk out onto the land and you get this synergy,” says Turchin. “There’s an integration piece. You can still be in the elements of it all, which is the gift of living here.”
The Horse Shoe Farm is located at 155 Horse Shoe Farm Drive, Hendersonville. Learn more at TheHorseShoeFarm.com.
Yoga with Natalie Sleik
Jordan Turchin. Photo by Taylor Heery
The Science of Regenerative Aesthetics: West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness
West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness operates on the belief that beauty and wellness are deeply interconnected. “Regenerative aesthetics prioritizes sustainability and health, resulting in natural and long-lasting outcomes, without relying heavily on synthetic fillers or invasive procedures,” says Dawn Hanson, CEO, manager and aesthetic nurse at the clinic. “The goal is to promote long-term skin health, vitality and restoration by encouraging the body’s intrinsic processes like collagen production, tissue regeneration and improved circulation.”
Unlike approaches that may temporarily mask or correct issues, regenerative treatments utilize the body’s unique ability to heal itself.
“We wanted to create a treatment menu that focuses on holistic and natural rejuvenation,” says Hanson. “Our goal was to offer therapies that address multiple layers of the skin and underlying tissue, focusing not only on enhancing the surface appearance but also on treating the root causes of aging and skin concerns.”
Key treatments offered at West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness include EZGel Platelet Rich Fibrin (PRF), Sculptra, AriEssence PDGF+, DMK Enzyme and StemZyme Therapies. “These treatments were specifically selected for their ability to promote collagen production, improve skin health and restore volume without the need for more synthetic or invasive procedures,” says Hanson. “We wanted to bring in products that align with our philosophy of natural, rejuvenating, long-lasting results.”
In addition to skin treatments, the clinic emphasizes overall health and wellness through supplement recommendations and vitamin therapies. “By fostering a deeper understanding of regenerative aesthetics,” says Hanson, “we aim to redefine beauty standards, focusing on health, vitality and natural rejuvenation.”
West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness is located at 747 Haywood Road #201, Asheville. Learn more at WestAshevilleAesthetics.com.
Dawn Hanson. Photo by Leea Gorell
Asheville Salt Cave: A Lovely Valentine’s Retreat
This Valentine’s Day, the Asheville Salt Cave offers a range of ways to pamper ourselves and meaningful ways for couples to relax and spend time together. Offered are a variety of soothing services to fit within anyone’s budget.
“Whether you’ve been together for years, are new to each other or best friends, a couples massage at Asheville Salt Cave creates an opportunity for you to slow down, relax and focus on each other,” says Laurel Thompson, Asheville Salt Cave’s general manager. “The experience isn’t just about physical relaxation; it’s about reconnecting emotionally and mentally, too. Shared time at the Asheville Salt Cave offers a rare moment of quiet where the outside world can fade away, leaving just you, your partner and the blissful calm of the space.”
Skilled, professional therapists are experienced in tailoring massages to a couple’s needs whether that be stress relief, muscle tension relief or a chance to unwind
together. “What sets the Asheville Salt Cave’s couples massage apart is the serene, salt-infused atmosphere,” Thompson says. “The spaces outside the salt cave are full of
beauty, intention and plenty of salt lamps. As you settle into a healing arts massage room, the soft glow of the salt lamps and the gentle hum of calming music set the tone for a deeply relaxing session. The combination of physical touch and the therapeutic benefits of salt creates a holistic, rejuvenating experience unlike any other.”
Salt cave sessions offer the perfect complement afterwards to a couples massage, or the massages can be scheduled inside the
salt cave. “The benefits of salt therapy go beyond relaxation—it can help improve respiratory health, boost energy levels and mood, and enhance skin health,” Thompson says. “This delicious combination of massage and salt therapy is the perfect way to extend the feeling of calm and take your Valentine’s experience to the next level.”
The Hammam bathhouse, a one-of-a-kind steam room adorned with striking tile work and copper fixtures, is another way couples can heighten their relaxation. The staff at Asheville Salt Cave is happy to work with couples to customize their experience. In addition, throughout the Valentine’s Day week, herbal tea will be brewing for guests’ enjoyment.
“In a world where we are constantly rushing, taking a moment to slow down together can be one of the most meaningful and refreshing gifts you can give each other,” says Thompson.
For more information or to schedule your appointment, visit AshevilleSaltCave.com or call 828.236.5999 to reserve your spot. Due to limited availability, booking early is recommended. The Asheville Salt Cave is located at 16 North Liberty Street, Asheville.
Organic BodyWorkx: Empowering Wellness Through Sustainability and Community Engagement
Organic BodyWorkx is a new, one-stop shop on Sylva’s Main Street for pure, organic, natural, and locally-sourced products that nourish the body and respect the Earth. “I believe nature’s wisdom is the ultimate source of well-being, and I strive to be a beacon of integrity and transparency in our offerings,” says owner Jennifer McMahan. “Through our commitment to sustainability, ethical sourcing and community engagement, we aim to inspire and empower individuals to make conscious choices that support both personal health and the vitality of our planet.”
The store carries a variety of products for household cleaning, personal care, wellness support and even specialty groceries. “It is important for me and my journey in life to bring healthy alternatives to our community in one location because we live in such a chemical-laden environment,” says McMahan. “People should have choices about their own personal wellness. One of my biggest goals is to take on the research for our customers so that they know without a doubt when they walk into the store that what they are purchasing is of the highest quality.”
Organic BodyWorkx is not only a retail store but also a wellness destination for the community. “We are happy to have kombucha on tap, and in our work to provide a space that promotes health and wellness, we are also offering services such as massage and Reiki with scheduling available soon,” says McMahan.
McMahan hopes that Organic BodyWorkx will encourage a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle for individuals and the community. “It’s empowering to see that there are many other choices,” she says. “I want to make a change in others’ lives, whether you are just deciding to change your lifestyle or you are already living that lifestyle.”
Organic BodyWorkx is located at 492 West Main Street, Sylva. Learn more at OrganicBodyWorkx. godaddysites.com.
ASHEVILLE SALT CAVE
Hammam Baths
The Artful Chair and Silver River Chair
Caning to Open Joint Space in Weaverville
Jenny Ellis is teaming up with Brandy Clements and Dave Klingler of Silver River Center for Chair Caning to open a new space on Weaverville’s Main Street. Once home to Shope’s Furniture, this historic location has housed the 5 Little Monkeys Quilt Shop for the last seven years. “Angie and DJ Lamoree’s quilting enterprise is taking over the whole upstairs space and will continue to be in the building, selling quilt supplies and offering classes,” says Ellis, “so there is a cohesive thread theme of fibers and furniture. I love the idea that we are bringing furniture
back to the old Shope Furniture Store. We are pinching ourselves because we always wanted to be part of the fabric of downtown Weaverville.”
Ellis will host a soft opening on Friday, February 21.
“I will be opening my doors to visitors and chair lovers as a quiet way to introduce myself to the Main Street community,” she says. On March 14 and 15, Ellis will host her grand opening, Everything Is Coming Up Roses
“There will be giant roses everywhere,” she says. “You won’t be able to miss it.”
Friday evening will include wine, cheese and small plates, while Saturday will be a more casual open house with finger foods and drinks. “All my latest Artful chairs will be displayed and my new in-person upholstery class sign-ups will be available,” says Ellis. “I will also have a limited supply of Asheville Pillows that I created, which feature everything Asheville on one pillow—they’re a great keepsake. My guests can also have a sneak peek of some of my idea sketches and chair designs I’m showing at High Point Furniture Market.”
This will mark Ellis’ first time offering in-person classes, which will begin in May. While Clements and Klingler are taking a lower-profile approach to the opening, their museum-quality caned chairs will be artfully displayed as part of the Ellis’ grand opening event in March.
Find the new store at 32 North Main Street, Weaverville. Learn more at TheArtfulChair.com and SilverRiverChairs.com.
Asheville pillow. Jenny Ellis, artist
The Little Rosebud chair, left, and the Jenna Rose chair. Jenny Ellis, artist
The Asheville Chamber Music Series Welcomes the Goldmund String Quartet in February
On Friday, February 28, at 7 p.m., the Asheville Chamber Music Series (ACMS) presents the Goldmund String Quartet in concert at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville. Considered one of the world’s leading string quartets of the younger generation, the group is on a spring tour of festivals around the world, debuting at many of the most prestigious including the Schubertiade in Austria and the HarzClassixFestival in Germany, and appearing for the first time as part of the ACMS.
“In addition to performing Haydn and Grieg, the quartet is known for innovative programming and will be performing an original transcription of Schubert’s most famous Lied, the Erlkönig,” says ACMS programming chair Polly Feitzinger. “Singers will undoubtedly find it fascinating to see how a string ensemble interprets the dying child, his father and the dreaded Erlkönig, which symbolizes death.”
Based on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s poem of the same name, Erlkönig is among Schubert’s most famous works and is considered a technically challenging piece for performance. Most often performed by a single vocalist accompanied by a pianist, the work was arranged for string quartet by Jakob Enko. Characters in the ballad include a narrator, a father, his young son and the supernatural creature in pursuit of the boy. Schubert was 18 years old in 1815 when he composed the piece, and he revised it several times before publishing it in 1821.
Additional concerts in ACMS’s 2024/25 season include the Aspen String Trio on April 4 and the Isidore String Quartet on May 2. In addition, the Aspen String Trio will hold a Masterclass on April 5.
Goldmund String Quartet. Photo by Nikolaj Lund
By LAUREN STEPP
From Slavery to Sandburg: Connemara’s Complicated Past
Today, most know Connemara as the celebrated home of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and biographer Carl Sandburg. But before Sandburg moved to the Henderson County estate in 1945, it was a much different, darker place.
According to Jamie M. Mahan, cultural and natural resources program manager at the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Connemara’s history is inextricably linked to the racial inequalities of the American South.
As Mahan explains, the property was first owned by Christopher Gustav Memminger, a lawyer in Charleston, SC, who served as the secretary of the Confederate States Treasury during the Civil War. Memminger called the site Rock Hill and built the main home in the 1830s using slave labor.
“C.G. Memminger brought up to 12 enslaved people to the site from Charleston to do all manner of work for his family,” says Mahan. “There were gardeners, farmers, craftsmen, housekeepers, nannies and butlers.”
Sadly, very little is known about these individuals.
“... [T]heir lives weren’t documented, aside from a first name in some cases and possibly a deed from when they were sold,” says Mahan. “Since they were viewed as property, their stories have been mostly lost.”
In 1900, Rock Hill was purchased by Ellison Adger Smyth, a wealthy industrialist and Confederate veteran from Charleston. As the property’s new owner, Smyth renamed the estate Connemara in honor of his Irish heritage, expanded the barn area to house livestock and constructed vast vegetable gardens. But much like Memminger, he relied on Black workers—often underpaid and discriminated against— to maintain the estate.
Having written a multi-volume biography of Abraham Lincoln and reported extensively on the Chicago Race Riots, Sandburg was “acutely aware of the history of enslavement and white supremacy at Connemara,” says Mahan. “In Sandburg’s archives, there are articles, deeds and even Confederate money with Memminger’s portrait. We also know from the archives that Sandburg corresponded with Memminger’s descendants during the time he lived here.”
But it wasn’t until 2016, when the National Park
Service funded a study to investigate the lives and contributions of Black workers at Connemara, that the fuller, more complex history of the estate began to emerge. The resulting research by David E. Whisnant and Anne Mitchell Whisnant, Black Lives and Whitened Stories: From the Lowcountry to the Mountains, has informed many initiatives at the historic site.
“The study has given us the information to increase our interpretation of the lives of the enslaved, and later hired, Black workers at Connemara,” says Mahan. “We have developed lesson plans for local schools, created an outdoor exhibit panel in front of the structures that were built and used by Black workers, updated our website with accurate information about the property’s owners prior to Sandburg and updated walking tours of the historic core of the park.”
It is Mahan’s hope that sharing these stories will “tell a fuller history of all the people who once lived here.”
The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (1800 Little River Road, Flat Rock) is temporarily closed in the wake of Hurricane Helene. However, online exhibits can be explored at nps.gov/carl.
The Carl Sandburg Home today. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service
HENDERSONVILLE & FLAT ROCK
Flat Rock Playhouse Kicks Off BrandNew Season with Magical Performances
By GINA MALONE
The 2025 season at Flat Rock Playhouse (FRP) includes a roster of world-class musical performances, a Tony Award-winning musical and mysteries both thrilling and hilarious. Subscriptions and individual tickets are on sale now.
Like many places in Western North Carolina, the FRP grounds suffered hurricane damage including downed trees and the loss of crucial services. In addition, with damaged and washed-away roads in the area, it was necessary to close for six weeks and to cancel two full productions, an especially hard knock after the closures necessitated by COVID just a few seasons ago. FRP was able, however, to reopen in time for the traditional and beloved A Playhouse Christmas in December, and before that to take a small group of Playhouse performers and artisans to the audiences.
“Even though we couldn’t produce shows for a few weeks on the Rock, we knew we could and wanted to bring theatre to our town and patrons and residents,” says Lisa K. Bryant, FRP’s artistic director. “Particularly, we wanted to support the kiddos who were out of school for an extended period and/or who had lost their homes. It was important that we serve alongside all of the amazing people who were helping in every way they could throughout the community. This was our skill set and we were thrilled to do our part.” This Playhouse Jr. Rock Out initiative toured the region with a traveling concert,
puppet-making classes and readings for children.
“We are opening the MainStage 2025 season with CATS,” says Bryant. “We had so many folks disappointed that we had to cancel the show this past fall, so we’re thrilled to deliver on that offering this year.” On the schedule also will be the Tony Award-winning Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, the story of the legendary singer-songwriter, and an adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express, two productions that many patrons have requested. Another mystery played out on stage will be The Play That Goes Wrong, which, Bryant says, “is the funniest play I have ever seen, and people will literally be in (joyful) pain from laughing so hard.”
Musical productions include this month’s Mixtape Vol. 2: The Music of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, with performances Thursday, February 20, through Sunday, February 23. Performances throughout the season include Shades of Bublé: A Three-Man Tribute to Michael Bublé; Stairway to Zeppelin; MJ: The Illusion: Re-living the King of Pop; Autumn at the Opry Vol. 2; Yellow Brick Joel: The Music of Billy Joel and Elton John; and John Lloyd Young: Broadway’s Jersey Boy.
This season at Flat Rock Playhouse, says Bryant, is a mix of “music, laughter and excellent storytelling— Broadway quality with Southern hospitality.”
Flat Rock Playhouse is located at 2661 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock. The box office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 90 minutes prior to shows. Tickets are available at 828.693.0731 or online at FlatRockPlayhouse.org, where a complete schedule of performances and dates can be found.
Flat Rock Playhouse production of Jesus Christ Superstar, 2024
Kinloch Place: A Historic Mountain Retreat in Hendersonville That Blends Luxury and Charm
By EMMA CASTLEBERRY
Nestled just outside downtown Hendersonville, Kinloch Place is a large vacation rental that offers an unparalleled retreat in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Located at 3102 Essex Path, this seven-bedroom, 13-acre estate harmoniously combines the rustic charm of a historic cabin with modern conveniences and comfort.
At the heart of the property is a log cabin built in 1804. “The cabin is made of American Chestnut logs and is, arguably, the oldest structure in Henderson County,” says Andrew Riddle, managing director of Riddle Development. The cabin has been meticulously renovated and incorporated into a custom-built, modern home. The cabin offers mountain ambiance alongside luxurious amenities like a chef’s kitchen, a hot tub and expansive gathering spaces.
Kinloch Place can comfortably accommodate up to 20 guests, making it ideal for large family reunions, corporate retreats or group getaways. “There is something for everyone,” says Riddle. “Kids can explore, adults can relax. Everyone can enjoy entertainment options like
pickleball and the fire pit. Kinloch Place offers a rare combination of seclusion, luxury and proximity to Hendersonville, making it a standout choice for those seeking an unforgettable mountain getaway.”
A second historic cabin just down the path offers “a great escape from the big house,” says Riddle. “It feels like a tree house or fort where you can soak up the fresh air and listen to the birds and watch the sky. At night, the stars are amazing.”
The estate is a short 10-minute drive from the dining and shopping hub of downtown Hendersonville, yet surrounded by acres of mountain beauty. Guests can explore walking trails, relax by the private lake or stargaze around the fire pit. The lodge also features covered porches, a stone fireplace and a screened-in patio. The location offers easy access to other area attractions like Asheville, the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Biltmore.
“It’s a rare blend of features with a convenient location in a private setting,” Riddle says. “It has all of the things a big group could want to enjoy time together and create memories.”
3102 Essex Path. Photos by Jeff Miller
Showcasing Tradition, Innovation and Resilience in The Art of Fiber and Textile
Through Friday, February 21, the Art League of Henderson County presents The Art of Fiber and Textile, a group exhibition highlighting a diversity of materials and techniques, from felted sculptures to intricate embroidery. Located at The Art Place Gallery in Hendersonville, the exhibition opens with a reception on Saturday, February 1, from 2—4 p.m. Several of the artists featured in the exhibition are members of Local Cloth, a fiber art organization that recently faced devastating damage from Hurricane Helene but continues to champion this versatile medium.
For Tammy Miller, a multidisciplinary artist featured in the show, fiber art is deeply personal. “My art is a form of visual communication, a way for me to process and express what’s happening in my life,” she says. “The act of slow stitching is both meditative and joyful, allowing me to capture memories with images and stitches, each one representing a moment or feeling.” Miller’s work often combines painting and fiber. One of her pieces in the exhibition, a necklace, features her artwork printed on fabric and enhanced with vintage jewelry and beads.
Jo-Ann Jensen, another artist in the exhibition, uses fabric to craft vivid landscapes inspired by her imagination. “Each piece is constructed from dozens of hand-cut pieces of fabric, collected over decades of being a ‘fabric junkie,’” she says. Her process is akin to painting with fabric, layering cloth in a collaging technique. “The color and pattern of the cloth guide me through this process,” she says. “I know it’s done when I’ve fallen in love with it.”
Members of Local Cloth have found support and inspiration through opportunities such as these to show their work elsewhere as they rebuild. “It was tragic to see the damage to the Local Cloth building and inspiring to see how quickly they have cleaned up and are on the road to rebuilding,” says Miller. “Fiber art has its place in the art world and I believe that Local Cloth provides a valuable resource and avenue for fiber art and artists.”
The Art Place Gallery is located at 2021 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville. For more information, visit ArtLeagueHVL.org.
Forest Edge Fox. Stephanie Williams, artist
Tammy Miller, artist
Ellen Bernstein, artist
Asheville Symphony Welcomes Pianist Martina Filjak for Masterworks 4: Ciao Italia
By GINA MALONE
Internationally renowned pianist Martina Filjak joins the Asheville Symphony in February for Masterworks 4: Ciao Italia. Performances will be held at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 15, at the First Baptist Church of Asheville. In addition, and in the same venue, Filjak will perform a solo recital on Tuesday, February 11, at 7 p.m., and join ASO music director Darko Butorac for Symphony Talk, free and open to the public, on Thursday, February 13, at 3 p.m.
“Martina Filjak is Croatia’s preeminent pianist who regularly performs across Europe’s prestigious halls,” says Butorac. “She is a virtuoso who is not afraid of putting forward a very personal, subjective interpretation. I know our audience will be thrilled to hear her.” Garnering the Gold Medal, the 1st Prize and the Beethoven Prize at the Cleveland International Piano Competition in 2009 brought Filjak, based in Berlin, international attention and she has since performed with orchestras and at venues in the US and around the world.
Camille Saint-Säens’ Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the selections for Masterworks 4, offers audiences a different piano concerto experience. “The amazing and very inspiring situation is that the first movement is the slow and elegiac one, followed by two very virtuoso and exciting movements that guarantee
pianistic and orchestral fireworks,” says Filjak. Rounding out the program are Hector Berlioz’s Le carnaval romain Overture; Gustave Charpentier’s Impressions d’Italie, IV. Sur les cimes; and Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4, Italian Filjak’s solo recital will present a journey through the history of the piano and some of the music that she finds beautiful. “Two pieces on the program aren’t even written for the piano as we know it today,” she says. “However, they do present themselves as a true source of eternal inspiration and something that connects the keyboard through centuries.”
In spite of Western North Carolina’s setbacks after Hurricane Helene, Daniel Crupi, executive director of the Asheville Symphony, says that the 2024-2025 season is off to a dynamic start. “We’ve seen steady growth in our general patrons and our subscriber base, with each concert bringing in more audience members who are eager to engage with live orchestral music,” he says. “Our last three Masterworks performances of Handel’s Messiah were sold out, which speaks to the community’s enthusiasm for the arts and for its orchestra. We are so grateful for Asheville’s overwhelming support and look forward to continuing this exceptional season alongside our community.” Learn more and purchase tickets at AshevilleSymphony.org or by phone at 828.254.7046. The First Baptist Church of Asheville is located at 5 Oak Street, Asheville.
Martina Filjak. Photo by Romano Grozich
WAYNESVILLE
Bee City USA Asheville Hosts Annual Great Buzz Gathering February 15
Imagine a world without vibrant blooms, flourishing crops or thriving wildlife. That’s the reality we face without pollinators—the tiny but mighty creatures essential to life on Earth. On Saturday, February 15, at 1 p.m., you’re invited to The Grey Eagle Music Hall & Pub in Asheville for the 6th Annual Great Buzz Gathering, a celebration of these unsung heroes and an exploration of how we can all play a part in their conservation. This isn’t just another event—it’s a call to action, a chance to learn, connect and make a tangible impact on the future of our planet.
From the moment you step through the doors, you’ll be immersed in a community united by a passion for biodiversity, native plants and protecting pollinators. Whether you’re a seasoned environmentalist or just beginning to appreciate the beauty of bees, butterflies and beyond, this event offers something for everyone.
“There’s nothing quite like being in the same room with other conservationists from a variety of backgrounds and organizations,” says Bryan Tompkins, a biologist with the US Fish & Wildlife Service. “Over the past five years, this gathering has helped to generate completely new partnerships and exciting ways of approaching pollinator conservation.”
Attendees will enjoy five captivating 10-minute talks from experts on topics like the best trees to plant for recovery after Storm Helene, the effects of climate change on pollinators and exciting updates on the Asheville Butterfly Trail. Each presentation promises information and inspiration.
Come early to explore exhibitor tables filled with resources, tips and tools to make your garden, neighborhood or community a haven for pollinators. Grab a bite or a beverage, connect with like-minded attendees and soak up the buzz of excitement.
Pollinators are more than just insects; they’re the foundation of ecosystems and essential to our survival. Yet, nearly half of them are at risk of extinction. That’s why Bee City USA, founded here in Asheville, has grown to a nationwide movement of 426 affiliates, all dedicated to safeguarding these vital creatures.
So, whether you’re passionate about gardening, fascinated by biodiversity or simply curious about how to help, this is your opportunity to join the movement. Together, let’s create a world where pollinators—and all life—can thrive.
Registration is free at BeeCityAsheville.org/events/great-buzzgathering-2025. Doors open at noon for lunch and networking. The Grey Eagle Music Hall & Pub is located at 185 Clingman Avenue, Asheville.
From left, Wryn Magdalyn, Alanna Collins and Severan Johnson cleaning up Hominy Creek after Hurricane Helene.
Photo by Heidi Zellie
Heidi Zellie.
Photo by Alanna Collins
AWA, Riverlink and Blue Ridge RC&D members at site in Burnsville where Price and Cane creeks meet
At Price and Cane creeks in Burnsville, the site of a planned collaborative clean-up by AWA, Riverlink and Blue Ridge RC&D
Appalachian Watershed Alliance:
Restoring Watersheds and Communities in WNC
By EMMA CASTLEBERRY
The Appalachian Watershed Alliance (AWA) is a new collective working to restore the watersheds of Western North Carolina and implement regenerative practices across the region in the wake of Hurricane Helene and beyond.
AWA has rapidly become a hub for resource-sharing, community action and ecological expertise. “We feel grateful that we have been able to connect resources to those who need them,” says Heidi Zellie, director of operations, outreach and education for AWA. The organization connected a neighborhood in Marshall with a biochar kiln to help remediate its soils and has hosted multiple waterway clean-ups from Swannanoa to Burnsville. AWA is also planning an inaugural meeting in March with presentations by ecological experts, artists, scientists, politicians, grant writers and filmmakers.
disaster, the work being done by AWA can’t be pushed off to a later date. “There is an immediacy to the work of streambank restoration because the streambanks are ripe and ready for takeover by invasives,” says Wade. “If we can get to the streambanks before the invasives do, we can replant with natives instead.”
Sophia Rokhlin, an advisor to AWA, was drawn to the Alliance because of its commitment to collaboration. “Asheville is, in my experience, full of ecologically conscious individuals and businesses,” she says. “People live here by and large to appreciate the magnificent beauty of this region—its wilderness, its biodiversity and the communal values of its people. AWA offers us an opportunity to walk the talk and restore our watersheds through simple, humble, sustained collective coordination.”
Alyson Wade is the founder of The Farm Connection and WNC Grassroots Media, both of which are partners and members of AWA. “I know that no single organization can tackle the enormous watershed challenges ahead of us, and we will be stronger as a collaborative alliance,” Wade says. “The alliance is leading the way into forward-thinking paradigms of abundance, where we don’t have to compete with each other anymore, and can instead realize that there is more than enough work and funding to go around for all of our organizations.”
Helene left our region with a number of environmental problems to solve, including soil runoff, landslides and pollutants from a variety of sources. While urgent needs abound in the wake of a natural
FASTROOTS, a technology partner of AWA, helped the organization set up its staff and volunteer communications as well as data collection for ongoing community engagement. They’ll continue to serve the organization with technology that will allow them to “publicly track their progress and utilize this data to facilitate consistent, individual, grassroots donations to further their mission to clean up WNC’s waterways,” says FASTROOTS co-founder Addison Fuller.
Zellie says the organization itself aims to mimic an ecosystem. “We wanted to be a place to weave people and projects together, and efficiently share these resources,” says Zellie. “We must recognize that everything is connected, a woven tapestry of mycelial networks, underground and above, aiding each other in health and bringing resilience. We are stronger together.”
Learn more and get involved at appawa.org.
Appalachian Watershed Alliance members after a clean-up of Hominy Creek.
Photo by Alanna Collins
WThe Art of Rising Rising from the Flood: Chalkley’s Journey of Resilience, Renewal
By ANDREW PATTERSON
hen Hurricane Helene hit Asheville, nobody could predict the devastation about to unfold from all the rain.
For Chalkley Matlack, who lives in Waynesville, it began with the creek near his house overflowing into the road, then into his yard and finally into his neighborhood. His home narrowly escaped severe damage as the floodwaters stopped just shy of crossing the threshold of his last step, but his workplace, Trackside Studios, wasn’t so lucky.
The River Arts District (RAD), where 80 percent of Asheville’s artists live and work, was completely submerged. For Chalkley, it wasn’t just his artwork that was lost—it was a decade of dedication to his craft and the community that sustained it.
On Saturday, Chalkley headed to Whole Foods, his part time job to help pay the bills, and now a much needed lifeline. He and his team handed out food that would have otherwise gone to waste due to power outages. “For me, stuff is just stuff,” he says, “I saw my art as trinkets and objects, but I thought about all the other artists here whose art is their sole income.”
Originally from rural Pennsylvania, Chalkley’s journey to Asheville ten years ago was driven by a passion to refine his craft as an “illusionist,” as he describes it. His love for art began at age seven, nurtured by his artist mother and teachers who saw his talent and tenacity. When he moved to Asheville during a “gold rush” for artists, he tirelessly knocked on doors, forged connections and eventually secured a spot at Trackside Studios located within the building Aura Arts—thanks, in part, to an evening of wine and conversation with the owners. Over the years, Chalkley not only honed his artistic skills but also became a vital part of the community, serving as vice president and briefly as president of the River Arts District Artists.
But Helene swept it all away. As the water subsided, so too did Chalkley’s desire to continue artistically: a decade of work destroyed in 48 hours. Among the wreckage at his studio, one piece stood out—a muddied guitar that, though partially submerged, had somehow survived the flood.
Chalkley Matlack, right, with the new owner of his guitar that survived the flood
Recovery work at Trackside
Despite the devastation, there was hope. Aura Arts’ owner, Sam Hellman, who had completed renovations on the building earlier that year, committed to rebuilding. “It’s phenomenal that he cared enough about the art and the [60+] artists in the studio to restore the space,” Chalkley says. The first spark of magic to help him rekindle his resolve to rise again.
RADFest 1.0 marked another turning point. It wasn’t just an event; it was a lifeline for artists. The streets buzzed six weeks after the storm with makeshift street galleries, and Chalkley decided to join in. “I found anything I could use—college art, old pieces that don’t even represent my current style,” he says. Cleaning up the rescued guitar, he brought it to the festival—where it sold almost immediately.
The outpouring of support from the Asheville community was overwhelming. Sadly, for many attendees, it was their first visit to the RAD, but their presence was a reminder of the importance of showing up—for art, for community and for each other.
For Chalkley, RADFest was more than a soft reopening; it was a personal renewal. Admittedly, he’d stagnated in creating new art, but seeing the community’s response reignited his creative juices. Now, he’s inspired to produce new work and further develop his unique style of pyrographic and pen art, particularly his guitar-burning pieces.
Chalkley’s story is a testament to resilience, creativity and the power of community. The storm may have reshaped the rivers and forests, but it also revealed the strength and spirit of Asheville’s artists and residents.
To explore Chalkley’s art or support his journey, visit Instagram (@pyrographic_and_pen) or find him at Trackside Studios on Depot Street.
Let this be a reminder: visit that studio, call that loved one, start that hobby. Because you never know what tomorrow will bring.
Andrew Patterson is an experience curator and published author. His latest book, My Journey Beyond the Summit, is available on Amazon. To share a story, connect or nominate somebody that Andrew should feature, reach out at ap@andrew365.com.
Chalkley Matlack at Holiday Market Encore
By CAROL HOWARD
Aldo Leopold Finds His Audience
In “A Good Oak,” a well-known chapter from A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold describes loading wood into his fireplace during a February blizzard to warm himself and his dog. He recalls the wood’s origin as part of an 80-year-old oak tree on his property. The tree had been struck by lightning the year before he and his family “cut, split, hauled, and piled” it in anticipation of cold winter days. Paralleling his description of the hard work of sawing through the tree’s 80 rings to its core, Leopold offers a reversechronological account of environmental history across those 80 years.
The New York editor who had first contacted Leopold in 1941 about writing the book that would eventually become the Almanac knew that the author had made a name for himself in academic circles for a 1933 textbook that established the science of wildlife management. He wondered, however, whether Leopold would be interested in a different kind of writing, “a personal book recounting adventures in the field” of wildlife biology, intended for an audience of non-specialists.
and conceded that he was unable to find “unity between the philosophical papers and the descriptive essays.” A week before his untimely death, in 1948, Leopold signed with a different publisher. Under the guidance of Leopold’s son, the final product had two parts. The first, A Sand County Almanac, has a storyteller’s arc, inviting readers to imagine themselves trekking along with the field biologist and rustic cabin dweller through each month of the year, learning how to observe natural clues that mark seasonal change.
The second part, an appendix of Sketches, is actually longer than the Almanac itself and is composed of “The Land Ethic,” and other expository essays that influenced the environmental movement.
Leopold took the challenge, but struggled to complete the essays for the book hailed by later generations as the foundation for modern conservation and ecology. The would-be editors maintained that what would appeal to a wide readership was Leopold’s own story. Instead, he gravitated toward making a philosophical case for a “land ethic”—an exploration of humanity’s interactions with, and obligations to, the non-human environment.
Those editors were not wrong, as Leopold himself acknowledged. He worried about losing the “lay reader”
This is not to say that the Almanac on its own fails to voice an ethic. To return to “A Good Oak,” we find that the story of Leopold’s wholesome life in the outdoors opens with an ecological warning: without an intimate relationship to the land that comes from planting a vegetable garden and chopping wood, we risk “two spiritual dangers.” Without the Sketches, one might miss the larger point, which is that a society that grows accustomed to the easy and limitless procurement of food and fuel loses its “ecological conscience” and will suffer unforeseen consequences.
Ironically, those first, market-savvy editors understood all along that to interest the armchair naturalist in the cause of wilderness conservation, one must foreground the human interest story. Without that story, Leopold’s environmental essays might not have found the broad readership they have today.
To learn more, visit The Aldo Leopold Foundation website, AldoLeopold.org. Carol Howard is associate provost at Warren Wilson College.
Cristina Reitz-Krueger, artist
Restoration of GRAVEYARD FIELDS Begins with Red Spruce
TPC Invasive plant management crew co-leaders Sam Byars, left, and Will Coffee plant red spruce trees
By EMMA CASTLEBERRY
In December 2024, a multi-year restoration effort commenced at Graveyard Fields, one of the most beloved hiking destinations along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Spearheaded by The Pisgah Conservancy (TPC) and its partners, this initiative aims to rehabilitate the area’s ecosystems, enhance recreational experiences and safeguard habitats for rare wildlife species. The first phase of the project involved the planting of red spruce trees, a species native to the region.
“This planting was the first phase because the red spruce trees we planted have been growing for several years and were ready to go into the ground,” says Nina Ardle, TPC’s chief administrative and development officer. The original planting, scheduled for early October, was delayed due to Hurricane Helene.
For decades, Graveyard Fields has been a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts, but its high foot traffic has had negative environmental impacts. “Unfortunately, trails in the area have been heavily degraded over time and stream banks have been impacted,” says Ardle. Planned improvements include trail rehabilitation, new trail construction and stream restoration at six critical sites. These efforts will not only reduce congestion but also improve water quality and enhance wildlife habitats.
of the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel. “We want to extend that habitat,” she says. “The biggest impact will be seeing the spruce-fir forest rebound. The desired outcome of the planting is a mixed canopy including both deciduous trees and evergreens, so we’re actually building back an ecosystem.”
The project’s early phases will not disrupt access to the area. “Initial construction will take place on new connective trails that don’t exist
Kelly Holdbrooks is a champion of the red spruce and the executive director of Southern Highlands Reserve, where the red spruce trees used in the first phase of this project were propagated. “Graveyard Fields was once a spruce-fir forest that was lost to logging and wildfires in the first part of the 20th century, so we’re helping to restore the original ecosystem,” says Holdbrooks. “We’ve been talking about this project for almost 10 years, and it’s a great place to start because of its high use as one of the most popular hiking spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway.”
Holdbrooks also emphasizes the project’s broader significance, noting the nearby habitat
yet,” says Ardle, “meaning there shouldn’t be any impacts to users as a result of construction in the area.”
“I hike there with my family on a regular basis, and we hope one day to walk there with our grandchildren,” says Holdbrooks. “There’s a lot of hope and resilience built into restoration projects, and our region needs that right now. Our efforts help the forest system return to its original health and beauty.”
The Graveyard Fields Overlook is located at Milepost 418.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Learn more about the restoration project at PisgahConservancy.org.
TPC board member Peter Barry plants red spruce trees
Mixed Media Artist Matt Tommey’s Work to Be Represented at Lucy Clark Gallery
Lucy Clark Gallery, in Brevard, is welcoming the celebrated basketry and mixed-media artist Matt Tommey to its curated collection of artists. Known for his innovative and nature-inspired pieces, Tommey’s work reflects a decades-long creative journey that has captivated collectors and admirers worldwide. “For over 30 years now, my work has been a divinely inspired collaborative effort with nature,” says Tommey. “I started out simply seeing nature as a source of materials I could weave into functional baskets and experiencing simple joy when in the forest. Then, over time, it expanded into a source of endless creative inspiration for my sculptural works for walls and pedestals.”
Tommey’s newest body of work is his Reliquary series: a blend of natural materials and fine art featuring textured cold wax and oil-painted surfaces paired with handcrafted baskets, nests and weavings.
Gallery owner Lucy Clark has long been a fan of Tommey’s work, and cites this new series as a testament to his continued growth and evolution as an artist. “His ability to bring different media together to create an exceptional piece of sculpture has always drawn me in,” she says. “His work is fluid and organic, marrying hard and soft—an incredible skill and one that he has truly mastered.”
Tommey, who used to have a large studio in the River Arts District, reached out to Clark personally to represent him when he made a recent move to Texas. “The Lucy Clark Gallery is one of the premier art-buying destinations in Western North Carolina,” he says. “As an artist herself with a discerning eye for quality and unique creative voices, Lucy has thoughtfully curated a collection of artists that represent the best of the best in the region and beyond. Lucy is passionate about communicating the story, creative intentions and spirit of the artists she represents. For me, that’s the perfect gallerist and someone I’m proud to partner with to represent my work.”
Lucy Clark Gallery is located at 51 West Main Street, Brevard. Learn more at LucyClarkGallery.com. Tommey’s work can also be seen at Philip DeAngelo Studio, 115 Roberts Street, Asheville. Learn more at MattTommey.com.
Reliquary. Matt Tommey, artist
Reliquary. Matt Tommey, artist
Reliquary detail. Matt Tommey, artist
Freeform Vessel. Matt Tommey, artist
Amaya Rose ring set
Alice necklace Eira ring set
Ann necklace
Elara ring
Harriet split ring
Branwen ring
Prue ring set
Theodora studs
Bella ring. All pieces by Stephanie Ellis, artist Angeline ring set
Genevive ring
By GINA MALONE
ASTEPHANIE ELLIS
rtistry often grows out of the materials at hand as well as being shaped by observation of those around us. For Stephanie Ellis, metal was a part of her childhood and knowledge was gleaned from her father, a machinist, and grandfather, a welder. “As a child I jumped at any opportunity to help either of them with a project,” Ellis says. “I learned so much about how things are built and repaired by handing wrenches and holding tools. I still love to build and fix things myself. I think my time spent in the garage in those formative years helped shape me into the maker and craftsman I am today.”
Although her own metal creations—fine handcrafted jewelry—are a bit more delicate, that early knowledge of tools and the properties of metal still serves her today. As a child, she loved wearable art and would create rings from grass, found materials from the garage, and buttons and ribbon from her grandmother’s sewing room. In her high school art class, where there was a limited budget for materials, the music department donated discarded instruments so that the metal could be repurposed. “I fell in love with making jewelry in metal and have never looked back,” Ellis says. “I also fell in love with the idea of repurposing and recycling as part of my process, so all of my pieces are created using recycled metals and certified ethically sourced gemstones.”
apply modern and antique surface textures and finishes that help give my pieces a distinctive look. I mainly use salt and pepper diamonds which are a fascinating stone choice that many may not be familiar with.” These diamonds, she explains, exhibit a range of colors and opacities. “I’m particularly fond of stones that are icy gray or have opalescent qualities,” she says. “They are tough because they are diamonds, which makes them a fantastic choice for everyday wear.”
Past work restoring antique jewelry offers inspiration for her own work today. “It was a very satisfying job to take gorgeous pieces of wearable history that were seemingly beyond repair and give them new life,” she says. “I have a particular fondness for Art Deco and Victorian motifs, so it was a dream to fully immerse myself in it for a job. When designing a piece of jewelry, the lines, patterns and geometry that I’ve fallen in love with throughout my life seem to just flow into my designs.” Ellis has been creating jewelry for 26 years.
A favorite part of her work, she says, is working closely with clients on custom projects, helping to bring their ideas and visions to something tangible that has one-of-a-kind, heirloom qualities or helping breathe new life into a family heirloom by creating a new piece from it.
Ellis earned a BFA in her home state from Iowa State University with a focus on metalsmithing, then after working briefly for a Colorado jewelry artist, attended Southern Illinois University – Carbondale for her master’s in metalsmithing.
To create her fine handcrafted jewelry, she combines Old World techniques and contemporary jewelrymaking practices. Hand-selecting stones is the first step in the process. “After selecting a stone, I let its unique characteristics help inspire the design. My pieces are all cast in metal using an ancient technique known as the lost-wax process. After casting, the stones are all handset and the pieces are given their finishing touches. I
When Hurricane Helene hit, Ellis’ first-floor studio at Curve Studios was completely flooded, but she was able to save her inventory and most of her equipment. “My studio has always been my happy place, and I have been mourning the loss of the space and the wonderful community of artists that made this space such a vibrant place in which to create,” she says. She was able to secure new studio space in the River Arts District in the Radview Building. “I’m already establishing a new community of artists and friends here, and I’m excited for this new opportunity,” she says. She plans to announce details on Instagram for an official opening party in the new space in the spring.
Stephanie Ellis Jewelry is located at 20 Artful Way, Suite 103, in Asheville’s River Arts District. Beginning in March she will have more regular hours, but for the time being her studio is open Thursday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment. Find her work online at StephanieEllisJewelry.com, and on Facebook and Instagram at stephanieellisjewelry.
Stephanie Ellis. Photo by Rachel Pressley
OUTDOORS
Don’t Wait for Spring to Hit the Trails
By EMMA CASTLEBERRY
It’s been an especially cold winter in the Western North Carolina region. While the chilly temperatures may tempt you to stay indoors, the rewards of venturing out onto the trails are unmatched this time of year. Winter hikes offer unique solitude, crisp mountain air and striking landscapes. Don’t wait for the muddy spring thaw to enjoy the outdoors—these trails highlight the magic of winter hiking and offer experiences you won’t find in warmer seasons.
GRAVEYARD FIELDS LOOP
Blue Ridge Parkway
Distance: 1.3 miles
Graveyard Fields is a favorite year-round, but this super easy, family-friendly trail takes on a special charm in the winter. With fewer visitors, you’ll enjoy the serene beauty of frozen waterfalls and frost-covered meadows. The trailhead is located at Milepost 418.8 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Before your hike, visit NPS.gov/blri to check road conditions, as sections may be closed as a result of ice and/or Helene damage.)
WHITESIDE MOUNTAIN TRAIL
Jackson County Distance: 2 miles
With about 500 feet of elevation gain over a two-mile stretch, Whiteside Mountain offers a dramatic winter hiking experience with sheer cliffs and sweeping views of the Nantahala National Forest. The loop trail is well-
maintained and relatively short, making it accessible for most hikers. Be prepared for colder temperatures at the higher elevations. The trailhead is located at 91-170 Deville Drive, Highlands.
JOHN ROCK LOOP
Pisgah National Forest
Distance: 4.6 miles
For a bit more of a challenge, John Rock Loop offers an intermediate loop with a striking winter panorama from the granite summit of John Rock. About 1,000 feet of elevation gain makes the trail a bit of a burner, but it’s easier in colder weather. Winter is also an excellent time to avoid the busier summer crowds on this popular trail. The trailhead is located at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education, 1401 Fish Hatchery Road, Brevard.
BIG ROCK AND CEDAR ROCK LOOP
DuPont State Recreational Forest
Distance: 4.5 miles
Big Rock and Cedar Rock provide panoramic winter views of the surrounding landscape, which often features frost-covered treetops. Winter is an excellent time to explore this area, as the cooler temperatures and quieter trails enhance the experience. Find the trailhead at the Corn Mill Shoals Access Area located at 59F6+58, Cedar Mountain. (Like the Blue Ridge Parkway, parts of DuPont close during winter weather conditions. Check DuPontStateRecreationalForest.com.)
Road access to the listed trailheads, as well as trail navigability, can change overnight. Look online for the most recent information.
THE GRAPEVINE
By ELSPETH BROWN
Iam in love with Pinot Noir. It is thin-skinned, temperamental and in need of constant care and attention. That sounds more like my least favorite family member than the love of my life. But Pinot Noir is so soft and luscious. It easily pairs with so many different foods, and it is the perfect wine for winter and summer. The flavors that so many Pinot Noirs impart are almost sensual. There are notes of fading roses, lavender, violets, red cherry, spring strawberries and fresh earth. When I taste Pinot Noir, the tip of my tongue gets slight sweetness, the middle feels some acidity and the back of my palate gets the velvety tannins. How could you not be in love?
Pinot Noir, as so many other grape varietals, is thought to have originated in France. It is a very old grape, dating back to the Roman era and is almost 1,000 years older than Cabernet Sauvignon. The first mention of Pinot by name is during the last quarter of the 14th century in documents associated with the dukes of Burgundy. The Burgundy region, located in central eastern France, is the most famous growing region for Pinot Noir. While France still produces the most Pinot Noir in the world, the US and Germany are close behind.
Pinot Noir is grown throughout the US, but the most sought-after ones are being grown in Sonoma Country and Santa Lucia Highlands. Germany is a surprising third in production of Pinot Noir, traditionally called Spätburgunder there. It is one of the most underrated wines in the marketplace because consumers focus so much on German Riesling without taking the time to try Germany’s red wines.
One of my favorite wine producers is Maison Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy, France. It was the first biodynamic winery in the world. Drouhin is still family-run and led by the four great-grandchildren. The winery in Burgundy was founded in 1880, and in the 1980s the family purchased property in the Willamette Valley in Oregon. When the Drouhin family opened the winery in Willamette, the land was chosen to mimic the climate and the latitude of their famous vineyards in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir from the wineries in both France and Oregon has a fresh elegance, soft spice and warm earthiness that only those two areas can showcase. The flavors and layers that these Pinot Noirs embody in such a light red are magnificent. Maison Joseph Drouhin is a family winery steeped in history with an eye towards the future of Pinot Noir.
I fell in love with the complexity and beauty of the Pinot Noir grape a long time ago and my feelings haven’t faltered. Joel Fleishman, in Vanity Fair, wrote: “At their best, Pinot Noirs are the most romantic of wines, with so voluptuous a perfume, so sweet an edge and so powerful a punch that, like falling in love, they make the blood run hot and the soul wax embarrassingly poetic.” I could not have said it better. Enjoy!
Elspeth Brown is the owner of Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store, 10 C South Main Street in Weaverville. For information, visit MaggieBsWine.com or
Creativity Can Provide Emotional Well-Being
By JULIE ANN BELL
Health and wellness guidelines often center on food, activity and sleep, abounding with lists of things to do (eat colorful fruits and veggies), numbers to achieve (walk 10,000 steps) and what to avoid (too many sweets). The fourth major topic, emotional well-being, is harder to quantify. Some folks meditate or have a spiritual practice. Some spend time in nature or relax in a hot tub. Others attend support groups or therapy. And a lot of people create.
For much of my life, my schedule revolved around family and work. I paid attention to nutrition, kept active and tried to get a decent night’s sleep. I enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles and movies. These helped feed my introverted self, but did not always fuel my spirit. A dozen years ago, I saw a wire sculpture that spoke to my soul, inviting me to begin a journey of connection with the wire and myself. The act of twisting wire continues to help me center, breathe and calm down. It feeds that part of me that seeks to create without judgment.
well-being. Some art makes us smile or burst into laughter, such as the wine monkeys of Peggy King. Some art makes us pause and take a deep, cleansing breath like the transcendental paintings of Lissa Friedman.
King describes creativity as “the best medicine for the soul,” and says, “I call my studio my happy place. You can feel positive energy the moment you walk in the room. When I’m painting, I am filled with joy and happiness. It takes me out of my head and into the magical place of being one with the Creator.”
As the co-owner of a collective gallery, I am fortunate to spend my “work” days immersed in art and in the company of artists who encourage one another. Sixty artists create paintings, photographs, sculptures and jewelry that seek to engage visitors and enhance their
The healing process from art is so important to Friedman that she earned a PhD in Art Therapy. “I think I have used art as therapy and healing nearly all my life— when I was grieving a loss, or processing a trauma, and even when I am expressing joy.” She relates that she feels a muchneeded peace and tranquility while creating the images she has worked on since Hurricane Helene. Experiencing the process of creating—in new ways or with different media— can also feed one’s emotional well-being. The learning center at Trackside Studios was fully rebuilt after the flooding and is again hosting classes. Our website lists our current classes in painting, sketching, collage, jewelry making and more. We would love for you to join us in creating in 2025!
Trackside Studios is located at 375 Depot Street, in the River Arts District. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, and by appointment. Learn more at TracksideStudios.com.
(Above) Origin Stories. Julie Ann Bell, artist. (Below) 19th Hole. Peggy King, artist
Riverview Station Embarks on the Long, Hopeful Road to Reopening Its Studios and Galleries
By EMMA CASTLEBERRY
Once home to more than 70 artist galleries and studios, Riverview Station in the River Arts District (RAD) was devastated by Hurricane Helene, but is on the road to recovery with a phased reopening planned for this year. “Our building has been home to countless artists over the past 28 years,” says Helaine Greene, who co-owns Riverview Station with her sister Trudy Gould. “We’ve put our hearts and souls into building this community of artists and are devastated that the artists no longer have a place to work, display and sell their art.”
One of the largest buildings in the RAD, Riverview Station featured the work of more than 200 artists and attracted thousands of visitors every year. “Riverview Station has been described in the local news as an art fortress, and people traveled from all over the world to view and purchase art in our building,” says Greene.
The cleanup effort has been nothing short of monumental for the 110,000-square-foot building, every inch of which was covered in mud—including the second floor. It took a massive volunteer force to muck out the building and move debris to the curb to be picked up by the Army Corps of Engineers. The current task at hand is pressure washing and mold remediation.
Brian Luzader, an abstract expressionist painter and longtime tenant, was among those who joined the cleanup. “Riverview Station holds such an important place in my heart and changed my art journey in Asheville,” he says. “I truly believe this place is pure magic and that the
building is special and the people within it are special. This is an art community that is unmatched and hard to find anywhere else.”
The grueling cleanup process has taken an emotional toll, too. “Seeing so many expensive art supplies in the rubble, so many pieces of art lying strewn around in the mud and representing so many people’s dreams, passion and life’s work was simply heartbreaking,” Luzader says. “Then, seeing so many volunteers from all over the region who came to lend a hand, local restaurants who came to feed us, donations of supplies and water and tools—it was all overwhelming in a good way.”
Riverview Station will reopen in phases, starting with five downstairs galleries and most upstairs studios. About a third of the previous tenants will return, with some moving into different studios. “Some of the artists have moved away, decided to retire or close their business,” says Greene. “What will remain the same is our intention to provide needed studio space to working artists in the RAD.”
Flood insurance covered only a small portion of the damage and Greene has yet to hear any news on her Small Business Administration (SBA) loan application. “We will not be able to fully reopen without financial support from the community,” she says. “There is a very large gap between the funds that we need to rebuild and the funds that we actually have. We hope to reopen by June of 2025 and hope the community will come out to support us.” Visit RiverviewStation.com to learn more and donate.
Volunteers help salvage artwork at Riverview Station. Photo courtesy of T.C. Morphis
Artists Explore Healing Post-Helene at AGA
Asheville Gallery of Art’s February exhibit, How We Heal, brings together the works of Cynthia Brody, Kathleen Stern and Marion Vidal in a tribute to the resilience of Western North Carolina. The exhibit highlights the recovery process following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, emphasizing the interconnected healing of the region’s landscapes and communities. An opening reception will take place on Friday, February 7, from 5–7:30 p.m.
Brody’s mixed-media art blends photographs with unrelated images to create curious stories. “I enjoy helping people look closer—at my work with its hidden images, and at the world around them,” says Brody, an artist and psychotherapist. Recently inspired by her move to Asheville, Brody’s latest creations incorporate local elements like bears, kudzu and the Blue Ridge Mountains, reflecting her experiential connection to the region.
Stern, a retired physician turned artist, uses serene landscapes to capture moments of healing and reflection. For this exhibit, she revisited old, unfinished canvases, transforming them into works that celebrate persistence and growth.
“Not every piece I worked on made the cut, but I was pleased with the canvases I chose,” she says. “Each one represents part of a sometimes painful learning process and a tribute to persistence. Today’s failure might be the starting point for tomorrow’s success.”
Vidal’s charcoal paintings of still life, portraiture and landscapes highlight the beauty of human anatomy and natural forms. “You are not alone; there is strength in our resilience,” says Vidal. “Many people are coping in different ways, and collectively we will rise and become a force again in WNC.”
Asheville Gallery of Art is located at 82 Patton Avenue in Asheville, across from Pritchard Park. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. To learn more, call 828.251.5796, visit AshevilleGallery-of-Art.com or follow the gallery’s Facebook page.
Grow Where You’re Planted. Cynthia Brody, artist
Final Reflections. Kathleen Stern, artist
Tools of the Trade. Marion Vidal, artist
Small Works Featured at American Folk Art Just in Time for Valentine’s Day Gift-Giving
Art that is both great and small abounds at American Folk Art & Framing’s (AFA’s) 21st Annual Miniatures Show, opening on the website Wednesday, February 5, and in the gallery on Friday, February 7, at 11 a.m. both days. Wednesday’s online opening allows an hour to preview works before phone sales begin promptly at 12 p.m. An evening reception will also be held on February 7 from 5–8 p.m., complete with live music, locally created flower bouquets for purchase and the chance to commission an ondemand typewriter poem from Eddie Cabbage. The show runs through February 26.
“Small works with big stories to tell are the perfect addition to an established collection of art as well as the ideal beginning to a new collection,” says AFA owner Julia Mills. “Anyone can find just the right spot in their home to tuck one of these little beauties.”
her 5”x 5” canvases—in particular, paintings of her mother’s hands. “These pieces relate to my general work because I oftentimes enjoy portraying scenes of southern traditions, especially food,” she says. “I also am always drawn to painting things that folks—including me—can relate to.” As a muralist, her works often take up much more space, though the miniatures are similar in size to greeting cards she creates. The challenge of getting a lot of scene into a small space appeals to her sense of versatility as an artist, she says.
“There is a beautiful nostalgia in the dishcloth patterns depicted or the types of kitchen tools being used that reminds us that the woman in these paintings could be anyone’s mother or grandmother,” says Mills.
In Tandem. John Sperry, artist
The show contains new artwork from 16 of AFA’s artists, including two artists—Sonya Clemons and John Sperry—who are new to the gallery. Other artists represented are Kent Ambler, Mike Ball, Carl Block, Cornbread, Doug Frati, Wayne Hewell, Jack Klippel, Stacy Lambert, Ellen Langford, Peter Loose, Vicki Miller, Karl Mullen, Liz Sullivan and Tim Whitten.
Clemons brings the grace of ordinary kitchen work to
Sperry portrays bright and whimsical characters and quirky scenes using oil pastels and acrylics on wooden panels. “My pieces in this miniatures exhibit are representative of my work,” says Sperry, who left corporate work 25 years ago to become a painter. “Miniatures are a part of my regular creative process.”
American Folk Art & Framing is located at 64 Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. Hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit AmeriFolk.com or call 828.281.2134.
Skunk After Dark. Cornbread, artist
DOWNTOWN ASHEVILLE
How We HEAL
Asheville Gallery of Art proudly presents three new artists for its February special exhibit: Cynthia Brody, Marion Vidal and Kathleen Stern. “How We Heal” is a tribute to the inhabitants of Western North Carolina who have been so resilient in the long recovery process after the fury of Helene, plus the many folks from out of state who came so quickly to help us; THANK YOU! An opening reception will be held Friday, February 7th, 5-7:30 pm.
FEBRUARY 12 & 13 at 7 PM
Kathleen Stern, Final Reflections, Oil on Canvas
Punxsutawney Phil.
Photo courtesy of Punxsutawney Groundhog Club
Most of us know the folklore surrounding Punxsutawney Phil, the legendary groundhog famous for his weather forecasting skills each February 2. If it’s a sunny day and the critter sees its shadow, six weeks of cold winter weather lie ahead, while a cloudy, shadowless day indicates an early spring.
So goes a lovable though unscientific tale. But there’s much more to know about groundhogs, a species that belongs to the rodent family, often found in open fields or along the edge of woodlands in our mountain region.
By PAULA MUSTO
“Groundhog Day elevates a lowly rodent to celebrity status for 24 hours, but after the big day the animal is forgotten,” says Carlton Burke, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who operates Carolina Mountain Naturalists. “I wish people would appreciate groundhogs more—they are some of the most interesting and highly intelligent critters we have in the mountains.”
Burke currently has three groundhogs who were orphaned and/or injured and, no longer able to live in the wild, reside with him in Mills River. The stocky, furry creatures periodically serve as ambassador animals for wildlife education programs. Spending time with the species has enabled Burke to observe their intelligence and highly evolved problem-solving skills that include a Houdini-like ability to unlock latches on cage doors.
Groundhogs are also known as woodchucks and, in some parts, whistle-pigs because of the high-pitched whistling sound they make when startled. They are closely related to the gray squirrel, but, unlike squirrels, groundhogs are not great climbers. Instead, they are expert diggers who live in intricately carved underground burrows. With more than one entrance and exit, the burrows have different chambers for various purposes including a bathroom used specifically for eliminating wastes. Like many animals, groundhogs are solitary creatures who do not stray far from their burrows except during springtime mating season when males search out female companions.
Groundhogs are one of the few mammals that are true hibernators. In late fall they enter into a deep sleep and remain in hibernation for three months or more. While hibernating, their temperature drops drastically and their heartbeat and breathing slows to a fraction of their metabolic rate when awake. Groundhogs are vegetarians who dine on grass, vegetables and fruit. To prepare for the long wintertime snooze, they eat heartily for months beforehand, but still lose more than a quarter of their body weight before emerging from their underground dens in late February or March.
Perhaps it’s this cyclical lifestyle that gave rise to the
Punxsutawney Phil legend that dates back more than a century. It’s believed a newspaper in Punxsutawney first published a report in 1886 that local groundhogs had not seen their shadow on February 2, the date designated as mid-winter. The groundhogs promptly returned to their holes—signaling an early spring. So began the tradition.
But Groundhog Day has ties even more ancient, according to Tom Dunkel, president of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle, whose 15 members are dedicated to caring for the renowned prognosticator. Groundhog Day, he says, is associated with Candlemas Day when early Christians in Europe blessed and distributed candles on February 2 to mark a wintertime milestone. The weather that day was important for the farming communities and, thus, the evolution of modern Groundhog Day, now enthusiastically celebrated in Punxsutawney, a picturesque town 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh, home to 6,000 people and a world-famous groundhog.
Thousands gather annually for a weeklong celebration. The 1993 movie Groundhog Day provided the celebration with a huge boost. Now, in addition to the eagerly awaited announcement, festivities include the Groundhog Ball, a Groundhog Banquet and lunch with Phil.
“If you have time to visit Punxsutawney, please do,” Dunkel says. “It’s magical. Phil is like the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus. There’s only one.”
Although, that’s the rub. According to Dunkel, whose father was the groundhog handler for years, there’s only one immortal Phil. But since groundhogs only have a maximum lifespan of just six years in the wild, and a dozen years in captivity, you might say this is impossible considering the forecasting event goes back more than a hundred years. But Dunkel assures us that Phil, who drinks a magic elixir of life to ensure his longevity, is not only the one and only but his predictions are 100-percent accurate.
This Pennsylvania weather forecaster extraordinaire does have competition. Each February 2, a groundhog in Washington D.C. called Potomac Pete performs a similar feat. But this Pete not only predicts the end of winter but also forecasts the year’s political climate. Lately, he’s been predicting partisan gridlock. Closer to home, in Brevard, squirrels get into the act. For years, a white squirrel named Pisgah Pete offered Groundhog Day predictions and then came his heir, Pisgah Penny. The seer post is currently vacant, but the town’s White Squirrel Institute is earnestly vetting future prognosticators.
Dunkel blithely dismisses the competition. “All imposters,” he says. “Just trying to capitalize on our groundhog good fortune.”
To learn more about Punxsutawney Phil and how to celebrate Groundhog Day, visit Groundhog.org.
Paula Musto is a writer and volunteer for Appalachian Wildlife Refuge which cares for injured and orphaned wildlife. If you find an animal that may need help, call the hotline at 828.633.6364. To learn more, visit AppalachianWild.org.
By CASEY FIRST A
Barn OWL
The Barn Owl (Tyto furcata) is one of the oldest, most iconic and most widely distributed owls in the world, found on every continent except Antarctica. It is renowned for its unmistakable appearance that is characterized by a heart-shaped facial disc and pale white face outlined by a dark brown border. They have lanky, long legs, a body sporting various hues of white feathers accented by dark-brown speckles and wings full of browns and hints of gray.
The Barn Owl has a rich tradition in many cultures and is well-known in folklore and mythology, symbolizing mystery, wisdom, protection and even death. Like other owl species, the Barn Owl is the superhero of avians, graced with an acute ability to hear and see like no other. Nocturnal by nature, they hunt under moonlight and have an uncanny ability to fly buoyantly and effortlessly, descending upon their prey in a hushed and eerie silence. Unsuspecting field mice and other small mammals that scurry in the same open fields and vast expanses where these owls live make delightful prey.
Barn Owls are, however, very adaptable to a variety of different environments and can be found in deserts, marshes, woodlots and even in some congested cities. As their name indicates, they love barns and other abandoned buildings. Much like snakes, these owls swallow their prey whole, and to give their digestive tracts a break, they later cough up pellets of the digested food. These pellets have long been observed by scientists to better understand owl behaviors and to track their place in different ecosystems throughout the world.
One thing that remains constant wherever in the world we observe these owls is their signature sound that is not the hoot we might expect. Sounding more like a distressed scream, they give off short and sudden spurts that are sure to make your heart skip a beat. For all the lack of appeal in their call, these birds of prey, at the top of the food chain, make up for it with their contribution to maintaining biodiversity through small-animal population control.
Sadly though, their own population is at risk— primarily due to human intervention through loss
of farmland, the introduction of rat poison and road construction. The good news is that we can do our part here in Western North Carolina. Try putting up a nestbox and keep their food safe by keeping toxic chemicals off your list. When not occupying a nest box, Mama Owl will make her nest in cavities of trees and in crevices located in many diverse areas, including burrows on the sides of water, large overhangs below cliffs and even in manmade structures like church steeples.
Once a nesting location is found, the same or different owls may use it over and over through the years. The Barn Owl will have between just a few to close to 20 eggs per clutch, and will lay eggs about twice a year. So, once they find a nesting box in your own backyard, you may be blessed with baby owls for years to come. Watch out: the teen Barn Owls can get rambunctious! Casey First is owner of North Asheville Wild Birds Unlimited, located at 946 Merrimon Avenue, Suite 120. Monthly bird events are free and open to the public, with no registration required. To learn
David Ballard, artist
PLOUGH to PANTRY
Farm-to-table living in the mountains and the foothills
By JUDITH CANTY GRAVES
One of the earliest flowers to bloom in the winter is the tiny snowdrop, also known as galanthus. You will see its many white blooms along a creek or a road in full sun or partial shade on a chilly February day when the rest of the landscape is brown and bare.
Even though February is always a short month, it can feel longer with the cold, wintry weather. If there is too much snow and ice, that feeling intensifies. Western North Carolina tends to have mild winters, but in February there is usually a persistent raw chill in the air.
Occasionally there are sunny, warm days this month, so I enjoy getting out to inspect the landscape. That’s when I notice tiny white galanthus flowers appearing. They are approximately eight inches high with pretty white flower heads that turn down. If you are walking along and looking at the horizon, you will miss them. This tiny plant requires a deliberate observation of looking down as you walk.
When I come across large masses of snowdrops, they are easy to see with the pure white flowers against the winter landscape. That’s when I feel excited, as this flower is a sure sign of approaching spring! Of course, there are other early bloomers in the mountains, such as crocuses and hellebores. But snowdrops bloom first, even in the snow, because they are hardy.
One reason they are so hardy is that they have a natural protein in their sap that prevents ice from forming and damaging the cells in their flowers and leaves. Also, the leaves have a hard tip that can penetrate through the frozen ground and snow. Snowdrop flowers will droop and turn down during very cold spells, then become upright when the temperature warms.
Snowdrops produce nectar and pollen for bees and other early pollinators after a long winter. On a mild February day in WNC, I have seen honeybees emerge to pollinate snowdrops, so these are important early flowers.
The name galanthus is from two Greek words, gala meaning “milk” and anthos meaning “flower.” The botanist Carl Linnaeus named the snowdrop Galanthus nivalis in 1753 because nivalis is the Latin word for “snow,” so this snowdrop became known as the “milk flower of the snow.” For those who have a serious interest in snowdrops, there are many types from which to choose. Look closely, and you will see differences among them. People have been fascinated with snowdrops since the time of the Greeks and Romans. These plants have been used for medicinal purposes and have had symbolic associations for purity, rebirth and hope. For many, they also symbolize resilience since they appear so early, emerging through the snow, as they signal the start of a new spring season.
The early flowers have a special beauty. I always shake with excitement when I find the first clump of snowdrops, fragile, pearl-pure, bending their heads lightly toward the icy, dark ground. – Gladys Taber
Snowdrops. Photo by Judith Canty Graves
Judith Canty Graves is an awardwinning columnist with a home garden in Asheville. Follow @ TheObservantGardener on Instagram to see new garden photos daily.
PLOUGH to PANTRY
Farm-to-table
From Farm to Cart: Ecusta Market Brings Fresh, Local Food to Hendersonville
By LAUREN STEPP
When Robert and Emily Gunn met a decade ago, healthy eating wasn’t at the top of their priority list. Exhausted from working long shifts—Emily at Wicked Weed Brewing and Robert for Chai Pani Restaurant Group—the young couple would grab dinner at a late-night bar in downtown Asheville each night.
But all that changed after the couple’s honeymoon in Southeast Asia. “Returning home, Robert experienced a severe reaction to an antibiotic, prompting us to reevaluate our approach to wellness,” Emily explains. “Along the way, we discovered something deeper: a sense of connection and fulfillment that comes from knowing where your food comes from—how it’s grown, raised and cared for.”
It’s this belief that motivated the Gunns to open Ecusta Market late last fall.
“I absolutely believe local food has the potential to change the world.... It’s a tangible way to strengthen your community while reconnecting with the land and the people who grow your food.”
~ Robert Gunn
Situated along the eponymous Ecusta Trail in Hendersonville, the natural grocer offers an impressive selection of meat, produce, dairy, artisanal gifts and non-toxic household goods. Many of these products are sourced as local as it gets—literally from farms just minutes down the road. “The market creates space to support local growers, makers and artisans while offering better-for-you groceries,” says Emily.
Robert agrees, adding that he and his wife are “committed to complementing the vibrant farmers market scene by offering more traditional grocery store hours—making local, quality products accessible whenever you need them.”
This is good news for farmers, especially in the wake of Hurricane Helene. When the Category 4 storm thundered into the region, it caused widespread devastation, washing away crops and severely damaging agricultural infrastructure. But with the support of the Gunns, local farmers now have a platform to reach customers and begin rebuilding their businesses.
“Having a central market in which to showcase local vendors brings a wholesomeness that is difficult to describe in words,” says Carolyn Shepherd, who grows microgreens on her Hendersonville farm, HiBear Ridge Homestead. “This atmosphere generates ingenuity, entrepreneurship and a strong sense of community.”
Megan Knights, owner of Salt + Light Acres in Saluda, echoes this sentiment. “Every purchase helps provide feed and routine
medical care for our animals,” says Knights, who crafts goat milk bath and body products. “It’s important to have a local business support us so we can meet the goals we have for our family.”
But it’s not just farmers who benefit from Ecusta Market. It’s also local artists like Macon York, a Henderson County printmaker who crafts greeting cards inspired by native flora and fauna.
“In these busy times, I create work that celebrates kindness, sincerity and slow living— reminding us to pause and find beauty in life’s simple moments,” says York. “Having a local venue like Ecusta Market means my art is not only supporting the community but is also rooted in the place that inspires it.”
So far, folks have been lining up to buy York’s quippy cards, tangy goat cheese from Round Mountain Creamery, freshly roasted coffee from ShareWell Coffee Co. & Roastery and everything in between.
“The most rewarding part has been seeing our customers’ reactions and talking to people in the neighborhood who are excited and proud of what we’ve built and are eager to support us,” says Robert. “Those conversations remind us why we took this leap in the first place.”
Later this year, the couple will take another leap of faith as they open a café in the building next door. According to Emily, the eatery will be a family-centered space where people can “gather as a community” and connect over local food.
“I absolutely believe local food has the potential to change the world,” says Robert. “Choosing local food means putting money into your neighbor’s pocket instead of padding the bottom line of a CEO at a giant corporation. It’s a tangible way to strengthen your community while reconnecting with the land and the people who grow your food.”
The Ecusta Market (877 Lennox Park Drive, Hendersonville) is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday–Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Call 828.595.3483 or visit EcustaMarketAndCafe. com for more information.
Farm-to-table living in the mountains and the foothills
Emily, Robert and Goldie Gunn
Ecusta Market & Café
Microgreens from HiBear Ridge Homestead
HiBear Ridge Homestead
Ecusta Market
Bath products from Salt + Light Acres
PLOUGH to PANTRY
Farm-to-table living in the mountains and the foothills
Encompass Farm CSA.
Photo courtesy of ASAP
PLOUGH to PANTRY
Farm-to-table living in the mountains and the foothills
Celebrate Community Supported Agriculture
By BELLAMY CRAWFORD
Saturday, February 15, to March 15 is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Month. The Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), an Asheville-based nonprofit helping local farms thrive while building healthy communities through connections to local food, is celebrating by promoting local CSA programs. “CSAs work like farm subscriptions, allowing customers to pay in advance for weekly shares of produce,” says Sarah Hart, ASAP’s communications and engagement director. “They help farmers pay for soil inputs, seeds, equipment or other needs before harvest income is available.”
Over the years, CSAs have grown to offer meat, eggs, flowers and other products in addition to traditional fruit and vegetable shares. Many CSAs offer choices for extended fall and winter season subscriptions; small, medium and large share options; online ordering and payment plans.
started as an urban farm in downtown Black Mountain, growing on a network of donated yards,” says Roddy. “My CSA customers allowed me to achieve my dream of land ownership in 2024.” But in September, because many left town following the storm, Roddy lost a fourth of her longterm CSA members. “They no longer had homes or jobs to keep them here,” says Roddy, who is actively accepting new members to her year-round customizable CSA share. “Our veggie box is subscription-based with an accessible $30/week billing model, which customers can pause anytime.”
To help customers navigate the many local CSA packages, ASAP offers an interactive online map with links to nearly 120 farms in its Appalachian Grown Network that offer CSAs as well as holding an annual CSA Fair each spring. “Our CSA Fair provides the opportunity for farmers with a CSA delivery or pickup in Buncombe County to highlight their programs,” says Hart. Details about this year’s fair will be posted on Facebook.
Because of Hurricane Helene, CSAs are more important than ever. Vannah Roddy of Encompass Farm has been an ASAP-supported farmer since 2019. “I
Tiny Bridge Farm in Hendersonville began offering its CSA share in 2019 with a mix of staples and kidfriendly items like lettuce, broccoli, carrots, potatoes and onions.
“After living through several hurricane seasons, we shifted our CSA to a 7-week spring share that runs June
and July, and we market our fall shares from September on,” says Tiny Bridge co-owner KP Whaley.
Seven Seeds Farm (currently relocating from Burnsville to Marshall) offers three CSA share sizes to meet the needs of differing households. “We are excited about our strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and black raspberries,” says Seven Seeds co-owner Ali Tingley. This year, Seven Seeds’ CSA will also include sweet corn, winter squash, pole beans, melons and eggs, and in the years to come they hope to include apples, pears, cherries, plums and peaches.
ASAP’s offices are located at 306 West Haywood Street in downtown Asheville. Learn more about the many local farms it supports and its programs and services at ASAPConnections.org. Follow on Facebook at ASAPConnections for updates about this year’s CSA Fair.
Hickory Nut Gap Farms
FEBRUARY
1 · Hendersonville, Medicine/Sweat Lodge Ceremony, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
1–10 · American Made: Paintings and Sculpture from the DeMell Jacobsen Collection, Asheville Art Museum, AshevilleArt.org
1–21 · Hendersonville, The Art of Fiber and Textile, Art Place Gallery, Art League of Henderson County, (reception Saturday, Feb. 1, 2–4 p.m.), ArtLeagueHVL.org
1–22 · Spartanburg (SC), Push & Pull: New Work, artist Robert Urban, Artists/Collective Spartanburg, Solomon Gallery, ArtistsCollectiveSpartanburg.org
1–28 · How We Heal, Asheville Gallery of Art, (reception Friday, Feb. 7, 5–7:30 p.m.), AshevilleGallery-of-Art.com
1–28 · Bakersville, Resilience: Artists Respond to Hurricane Helene, Mica Gallery, MicaGalleryNC.com
1–28 · Cherokee, sov·er·eign·ty: Expressions in Sovereignty of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Museum of the Cherokee People, MotCP.org
1–Mar. 1 · Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy Winter Hiking Challenge, (registration ends Feb. 25), Appalachian.org/2025-winter-hiking-challenge
1–May 2 · Cherokee, School of Art and Design Faculty Biennial Exhibition, WCU Fine Art Museum at Bardo Arts Center, arts.wcu.edu/faculty-25
2 · Stars Servin’ Up Love: Celebrity Tennis Benefit for WNC, Explore Asheville, Harrah’s Cherokee Center–Asheville, StarsServinUpLove.com
2 · Hendersonville, Be Moved: An Ecstatic Dance Experience, The Sunset Barn at The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
2 · Waynesville, Groundhog Day Party, Folkmoot USA, email richardbakersstudio@gmail.com
4 · Hendersonville, Meditation Class, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
5–26 · 21st Annual Miniatures Show, American Folk Art & Framing, (online opening Wednesday, Feb. 5, 11 a.m.; gallery opening Friday, Feb. 7, 11 a.m., with reception from 5–8 p.m.), AmeriFolk.com
6 · Hendersonville, Breath Medicine: Breathwork, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
7 · Voices of Impact, benefit for Regenerating Asheville, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts, WorthamArts.org
7 · Hendersonville, Breathe and BE: A Breathwork Retreat, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
8 · David Ramirez in concert, The Grey Eagle Music Hall, TheGreyEagle.com
8 · Hendersonville, Breathe • Plunge • Sauna Workshop, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
11 · Solo recital by Martina Filjak, Asheville Symphony, First Baptist Church of Asheville, AshevilleSymphony.org
11 · Hendersonville, Meditation Class, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
12 · Hub New Music performing new work by Yaz Lancaster, Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center, BlackMountainCollege.org
12 · Hendersonville, Full Moon Leo Circle and Sound Healing, The Horse Shoe Farm, TheHorseShoeFarm.com
13 · Masterworks 4 Symphony Talk with Martina Filjak and Darko Butorac, free and open to the public, Asheville Symphony, First Baptist Church of Asheville, AshevilleSymphony.org
13–May 5 · Asheville Strong, Asheville Art Museum, AshevilleArtMuseum.org
15 · Masterworks 4: Ciao Italia, Asheville Symphony, First Baptist Church of Asheville, AshevilleSymphony.org
15 · 6th Annual Great Buzz Gathering, Bee City USA Asheville, The Grey Eagle Music Hall & Pub, BeeCityAsheville.org
15 · Katarina’s ‘90s Drag Brunch, Asheville Drag Brunch, fundraiser for Tranzmission, Banks Ave Bar, AshevilleDragBrunch.com
15 · Flat Rock, Historic Landslides and Floods—What Have We Learned, Blue Ridge Community College Thomas Auditorium, Center for Cultural Preservation, SaveCulture.org
15 · Waynesville, Annual Chili Cook-Off Stroll, downtown Waynesville and Frog Level, Waynesville Rotary Club, Facebook (Waynesville Chili Cook-Off Stroll) or email CK Davis at chilicookoffstroll@gmail.com
20–23 · Flat Rock, Mixtape! Vol. 2: The Best of the 60s, 70s, and 80s, Flat Rock Playhouse, FlatRockPlayhouse.org
21 · Weaverville, Soft Opening, The Artful Chair, TheArtfulChair.com
21–23 · National Arts and Crafts Conference and Shows, Omni Grove Park Inn, Arts-CraftsConference.com
22 · For the Love of Craft, Asheville Brewers Alliance and FIRC Group, Battery Park Hall at the Haywood Park Atrium, ExploreAsheville.com
22 · Business of Farming Conference, A-B Tech Conference Center, Appalachian Sustainable Agriculture Project (ASAP), ASAPConnections.org
27 · Cullowhee, Solstice: A Winter Circus Experience, WCU Bardo Arts Center, Circus EVO, BardoArtsCenter.wcu.edu
28 · Asheville Chamber Music Series: Goldmund Quartet, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville, AshevilleChamberMusic.org
28 · Madison Co., Free Public Star Gaze, Astronomy Club of Asheville, Grassland Mountain Observatory, (weather back-up night, Saturday, March 1), AstroAsheville.org
MARCH
1–2 · March Melodrama, Blue Ridge Orchestra, UNC Asheville, Lipinsky Auditorium, BlueRidgeOrchestra.org
6–8 · Shades of Bublé: A Three-Man Tribute to Michael Bublé, Flat Rock Playhouse, FlatRockPlayhouse.org
13 · Flat Rock, Workshop Learning to Dance with Dementia: When to Lead, When to Follow and When to Get Out of the Way, The Episcopal Church of St. John in the Wilderness, 828.693.9783, RSVP at bit.ly/ dancewithdementia
20–22 · Stairway to Zeppelin, Flat Rock Playhouse, FlatRockPlayhouse.org
FARMERS MARKETS
For a list of markets and schedules, visit ASAPConnections.org/farmersmarkets or AppalachianGrown.org.
ASHEVILLE SYMPHONY
Pianist Martina Filjak with your Asheville Symphony
Solo Piano Recital
February 11 at 7:00 p.m.
Baroque and Romantic masterpieces
Masterworks 4: Ciao Italia
February 15 at 2:00 p.m. + 8:00 p.m.
Vivacious Italy-inspired program featuring Berlioz, Saint-Saëns, Mendelssohn + more
AshevilleSymphony.org for tickets!
ADVERTISERINDEX
ACCOMMODATIONS
Cabin at Lake Lanier, The — 37
Horse Shoe Farm, The — 17
Kinloch Place — 24
ARTISTS/ART GALLERIES
Anderson County Museum — 2
American Folk Art & Framing — 53
Angela Alexander — 46
Art on 7th — 24
ArtPlay — 46
Asheville Gallery of Art — 53
Bardo Arts Center — 23
Blue Spiral 1 — 52
Claying Around — 23
Gallery 164 — 31
Gallery at Flat Rock, The — 24
Jaime Byrd Contemporary Art Gallery — 46
Jeffrey — 47
Lucy Clark Gallery & Studio, The — 40
Mica Gallery — 11
Michelle Hamilton — 47
Molly Courcelle — 46
National Arts and Craft Conference — 7
Number 7 Arts — 40
Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts — 47
Red Wolf Gallery — 40
River Arts District Artists — 47
Seven Sisters Craft Gallery — 35
Small Batch Glass — 47
T Pennington Art Gallery — 31
Trackside Studios — 46
Twigs & Leaves Gallery — 30
Woolworth Walk — 52
AUTOMOTIVE
Empire Automotive Repair — 11
BAKERIES/CONFECTIONS/ TEA & COFFEE
Ingles — 67
BEAUTY/SALONS/SPAS/MASSAGE
Asheville Salt Cave — 19
Horse Shoe Farm, The — 17
Organic BodyWorkx — 19
West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness — 17
BIRDS
Wild Birds Unlimited of North Asheville — 23
BUILDERS
Brock Builders — 37
CLOTHING/SHOES & ACCESSORIES
Artlantic — 24
Caravans — 11
Clothes Mentor — 11
Frock Boutique — 52
Gentlemen’s Gallery — 52
COMMUNITIES
Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community — 17
CONSIGNMENT/RESALE STORES
Clothes Mentor — 11
Flawsome Consignment — 30
Scallywag’s — 30
CRAFTS/ART & CRAFT SUPPLIES
Claying Around — 23
Earth Guild — 52
Odyssey Gallery of Ceramic Arts — 47
EDUCATION
ArtPlay — 46
ArtSpace Charter School — 35
North Carolina Arboretum, The — 11
ENTERTAINMENT/EVENTS/ EVENT SERVICES
Asheville Symphony — 63
Bardo Arts Center — 23
Ingles — 67
National Arts and Craft Conference — 7
River Arts District Artists — 47
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts — 53
FRAME SHOPS/SERVICE
American Folk Art & Framing — 53
GIFT SHOPS
Artlantic — 24
Claying Around — 23
Earth Guild — 52
Jeffrey — 47
Seven Sisters Craft Gallery — 35
T Pennington Art Gallery — 31
Twigs & Leaves Gallery — 30
Whist — 23
Woolworth Walk — 52
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Asheville Salt Cave — 19
Deerfield Episcopal Retirement Community — 17
Horse Shoe Farm, The — 17
Organic BodyWorkx — 19
West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness — 17
HOME FURNISHINGS & ACCESSORIES
H.H. Walker and Company — 30
Krista Washam LaBlue — 37
Small Batch Glass — 47
INTERIOR DESIGN
Krista Washam LaBlue — 37
JEWELERS
Caravans — 11
Jeffrey — 47
Lucy Clark Gallery & Studio, The — 40
Seven Sisters Craft Gallery — 35
LANDSCAPE/NURSERY
Reems Creek Nursery — 23
REAL ESTATE/MORTGAGE
Allen Tate / Beverly-Hanks Realtors — 68
RESTAURANTS/BARS/ FOOD SERVICE/CATERING
Horse Shoe Farm, The — 17
Ingles — 67
Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store — 37
Maggie Valley Club & Resort — 21
TOURS/TRAVEL/ATTRACTIONS
Anderson County Museum — 2
Asheville Symphony — 63
North Carolina Arboretum, The — 11
Wortham Center for the Performing Arts — 53
WINE/BEER/SPIRITS
Asheville Ale Trail — 53
Maggie B’s Wine & Specialty Store — 37
YARNS
Earth Guild — 52
American Folk Art & Framing will host its 21st Annual Miniatures Show opening on the website Wednesday, February 5, and in the gallery on Friday, February 7, at 11 a.m. both days. An evening reception will also be held on February 7 from 5–8 p.m., complete with live music, locally created flower bouquets for purchase and the chance to commission an on-demand typewriter poem from Eddie Cabbage. (Above) Mama Frosting Cinammon Rolls. Sonya Clemons, artist
happens here.
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