Cultural Asheville: Local Art and Craft Trails/Galleries

Art and Craft Trails Surrounding Asheville

In the early 1990’s, a regional effort, HandMade in America, was established to highlight the depth and breath of the fine arts and crafts of our region. Among its programs is a series of craft trails that lead you to some of the finest art galleries and craftsman's studios in the region. Two of those trails start and end in Asheville; the Circle the Mountain Trail, which is a broad northern circle running through the northern mountains near the Tennessee border, and the Mountain Cities Trail, which runs east and south of the city.  Let’s follow these trails using the official guide, The Craft Heritage Trails of Western North Carolina, available in any local bookstore in the area or on-line at HandMade in America.

Folk Art Center

Circle the Mountain Trail

Head east from Asheville to the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway, mile post 382 near US 70 in Oteen.  The Center is home to the historic Allanstand Craft Shop, one of the earliest retail craft co-ops in the country. The work displayed here represents some of the finest craftspeople from the nine states of the Southern Highlands and all the craftspeople's works are juried into the co-op by their peers.

Allanstand Craft Shop

Continue on US 70 to downtown Black Mountain where the streets are lined with galleries and restaurants. Don’t miss Seven Sisters Craft Gallery,117 Cherry Street, and its wide collection of crafts from the region. Also take a look at Black Mountain Gallery, Cherry Street Gallery, Black Mountain Iron Works and the Old Depot.

Take a quick trip over Black Mountain on I-40 to Old Fort and once again exit on US 70.  Here you will want to visit the Max Woody Chair Shop, which makes and sells the finest rocking chairs in the area.

Max Woody Rocking Chairs

Now, head northeast on NC 226 to Little Switzerland, milepost 334 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  Visit the Switzerland Inn, a fanciful hotel with a great gallery - the Trillium Gallery. While in the area, you will not want to miss its renowned blacksmith, Bea Hensley and Son Hand Forge, where you can see 15th and 16th century blacksmithing conducted by masters of the art.

Face Cups - The Trillium Gallery

Next, take US 80 into the Toe River Valley and the dozens of galleries and shops on US 19, all located along the roadside and in little towns like Spruce Pine and Burnsville. You will want to pay special attention to the Twisted Laurel Gallery on Locust Street in Spruce Pine.   A short drive further west brings you to the Penland School of Crafts and its collection of galleries.  The campus welcomes visitors the year round.

Mountain Cities Trail

Any collector’s trip to Asheville should include visits to its premiere galleries. Next door to the famous Grove Park Inn is one of the region’s finest, the Grovewood Gallery.  This gallery offers two floors of furniture, glass, pottery, clothing and jewelry. Once you drink it all in head downtown to continue the feast.

Asheville’s downtown is full of galleries and showplaces for artist and craftspeople from around the nation. Concentrated on Biltmore, Lexington and Haywood Streets, there are galleries and shops for every taste:

Earth Guild, 33 Haywood Street, looms ready, you supply the skill

Jewels That Dance, 63 Haywood Street, three of the nation’s top designers show here.

Appalachian Craft Center, 10 North Spruce Street, old-time mountain crafts

Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Avenue, one of Asheville’s best - fine artists and craftspeople at the peak of their talents.

Grove Arcade, 1 Page Avenue, one of the most unique buildings in Asheville with a variety of galleries and shops.

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Nearby, in Biltmore Village, visit New Morning Gallery (7 Boston Way), Bellagio (5 Biltmore Plaza) and the Grand Bohemian Gallery (11 Boston Way) - all are located in the village center and provide a great start to a relaxing afternoon stroll in this little village built by G.W. Vanderbilt.

Grand Bohemian Hotel Gallery

The trails goes on to Hendersonville and its amazing collection of local galleries but we will cover those treats in a future article!  Appreciating art on local "trails" - another interesting aspect of Living in Asheville, North Carolina.  Join us when we pick up the trail again in a future article.


Many thanks to Dan Keith Ray, Asheville resident, former President and CEO of the American Craft Council, and occasional contributor to this blog for his assistance in preparing this article.

Sports: Snow Skiing

Wow!  How about the snow yesterday and last night?!  With 1.5 - 2 feet of snowfall locally, the region was virtually paralyzed.  As I write this article the major roads are cleared, or in the process, but quite a few local roads are still difficult to travel.   With this rare major snowfall, and more predicted for next week, one might consider hitting the local ski slopes.  This article provides an overview of the main local options.

Beaverdam Valley (19 December 2009)

Three popular slopes are located in the Boone area;  Appalachian Ski Mountain,  Beech Mountain Ski Resort (Ski Beech), and Sugar Mountain Ski Resort.  Appalachian Ski Mountain, in Blowing Rock, has 11 slopes (2 Easiest, 6 More Difficult, 3 Most Difficult) with the longest run being Orchard Run, at 1/2 mile.  The peak elevation is 4000 feet.  Beech Mountain Ski Resort, in Beech Mountain, claims to be the "..the highest ski area in Eastern America."  The resort has 15 trails (2 Easiest, 7 More Difficult, 4 Most Difficult, 2 Freestyle Terrain) with 10 total lifts. The peak elevation is 5506 feet.  Sugar Mountain, in Banner Elk, offers 20 slopes and trails with 8 lifts.

Wolf Ridge Ski Resort is the slope closest to Asheville, located just to the north in Mars Hill.  The top elevation here is 4700 feet.  This ski area offers 82 acres of skiable terrain.

Cataloochee Ski Area is located to the west of Asheville, in Maggie Valley.  The Area offers 16 slopes and trails (3 Expert, 5 Intermediate, and 8 Novice) with 8 lifts.  The peak elevation is 5400 feet.

 

Entertainment: Comedy

A new comedy club, Funny Business, opened in Asheville last month and I've been looking forward to seeing a show there.  Last night, a friend and I had the opportunity to attend a show and that visit prompted this article.  The Club is located downtown at 56 Patton Avenue, in the basement of the historic S&W Cafeteria Building. 

We attended the early show at 8 pm.  The club was not nearly packed but an enthusiastic audience of about 30 patrons was present.  The first two comedians were decent and they were successful in cajoling laughs and audience participation.  The headliner, Pat Godwin, performed a "guitar comedy virtuoso" and had the crowd roaring - I noticed a woman sitting at a table to my left had laughed so much she had tears in her eyes.  Pat put on a really good show which I recommend to those seeking good, adult-oriented comedy (not a G-rated performance!).

My friend and I had a great time and especially enjoyed Pat's performance.  Judging from the overall audience reaction, I'd say that was the general audience experience.  I found the Club staff welcoming and polite.  Be advised, there was a two-drink minimum; well drinks were $7 and call $10.  Bottled beer averaged about $3.50.  The venue, a basement, was nicely appointed and seemed to work well as a performance space.  It was very cold outside last night but the temperature in the venue was quite comfortable.  My only criticism of the visit was the scant choice of snacks available to accompany the mandatory two drinks.  I had read in independent coverage of the Club that heavy appetizers would be available but that was not our experience.  When we asked the server what was available she offered to "scrounge up" some chips and salsa, which she did.   This offering met the basic requirement although, as I ate my chips and salsa, I tried to forget the snack had been scrounged.  In my opinion, pretzels, chips, nuts or other snacks should be available, even if for purchase, in an establishment requiring one to drink.

That said, we did have a very good time and will likely return.  By the way, Pat Godwin performs again this evening.  These days, many of us could truly benefit from a good, hearty fit of laughter, right?  If you agree, a show at Funny Business might be something you put on your "to see and do" list when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

Update:  I visited the club again on 1/8/10 and was pleased to see an appetizer menu was in place.

Cultural Asheville: Puppeteering

A good friend of mine and long-time Asheville resident, Don, had a love of puppets in his youth.  Recently, while rekindling this long-neglected interest, he began to search the Asheville community for others who shared his interest.  Both of us were surprised at the acclaimed community of puppeteers he discovered in our midst.   This article is about what my friend discovered.

Most Asheville residents are probably unaware of the Asheville Puppetry Alliance.  According to its website, "Asheville Puppetry Alliance was founded to bring puppetry in all its forms to Western North Carolina. The organization emerged when several nationally known puppeteers settled in this area."  This non-profit organization has sponsored or hosted several puppetry events in the area.  One of the Alliance's most recent events was the Grand Puppet Gala it presented in Asheville on 9 May 2009.

(Mountain Marionettes)

Among the puppeteers belonging to the Alliance are Red Herring Puppets, Mountain Marionettes, p oconnor puppets, and Golden Rod Puppets.  Don made contact with Red Herring Puppets and arranged a meeting with that organization's artistic Director, Lisa Sturz.  What he learned about this company did indeed pique his interest.  He was also surprised by the high caliber art of puppetry present in our area.  As Don met with Lisa, I will showcase Red Herring in this artice but I invite you to explore all of the puppeteering talent our area offers.

According to its website, Red Herring Puppets has:

"..been designing, building, and performing puppets and specialty costumes for more than thirty years. Artistic Director, Lisa Sturz has worked with Walt Disney Imagineering, Jim Henson Productions, Lucasfilm, PBS, NBC, ABC, UNC-TV, The Ice Capades, the Field Museum, the Shedd Aquarium, the Asheville Symphony and the Lyric Opera of Chicago."

 

 

 
The Company:

".. specializes in creative collaborations with museums, symphonies, theaters, schools, film and television projects, and community and corporate events. Red Herring has been awarded an UNIMA citation of excellence (the highest honor in American puppetry) and is also the recipient of a California Emmy and several grants from the Jim Henson Foundation and the Puppeteers of America."

I'll bet most of you didn't know Asheville was home to such an acclaimed puppeteer!  Don really enjoyed meeting Lisa at the Grove Park Inn and found her world of puppetry fascinating.  He is currently on her e-mail notification list for upcoming puppetry events in the area.  If you share Don's interest in puppetry, I suggest you contact Lisa, the Asheville Puppetry Alliance, or one of the other Alliance members to find out more about puppetry and performances in our area.  World renowned puppetry - just one more entertainment option available to you when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

Education: Local Colleges and Universities

Within an approximately 50-mile radius of Asheville are found at least nine significant colleges and universities.  This list includes two universities, four colleges and three community colleges.  Two of these, AB Tech and UNC-A are in Asheville and the farthest, Western Carolina University, is located about 50 miles to the west in Cullowhee.   Following is a brief overview of each of these institutions.

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, locally known as AB Tech, was established in 1959 as the Asheville Industrial Education Center.  The college's career curricula and courses are offered through three divisions: Allied Health and Public Service Education, Business and Hospitality Education, and Engineering and Applied Technology.  In addition, AB tech offers courses through its Continuing Education Division.  The main campus is located in Asheville at 340 Victoria Road and satellite campuses are located in nearby towns of Enka and Marshall.

Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) is located about 25 miles south of Asheville, in Flat Rock, which is also the location of the Flat Rock Playhouse. BRCC also operates the  Transylvania Center in Brevard, NC, 22 miles from the main campus.  BRCC was charterd in 1969 and, according to its website, "Offers more than 90 programs of study that include associate degrees, diplomas and certificates."
 

Brevard College, founded in 1853, is located about 30 miles to the southwest of Asheville.  According to its website, the college is a "Four-year private, coeducational, comprehensive liberal arts college; affiliated with the Western North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church."  The college offers "more than 40 majors and minors, including pre-professional programs in such fields as teacher licensure, pre-med/dentistry, pre-law."  In athletics, the college competes in the SAC.

 

Haywood Community College is located about 30 miles to the west of Asheville, in Clyde.  Haywood Community College (HCC) opened in August 1965 as the Haywood Industrial Education Center with one curriculum program and 39 students. Today, according to its website, HCC "offers over 50 curricular programs to over 2,700 students.  The college offers associate, diploma and certificate degrees of study as well as a continuing education curriculum."  Like AB Tech, the college also offers courses through a Continuing Education Division.

Mars Hill College (MHC) was established in 1856 as the French Broad Baptist Institute and it is located about 30 miles to the north of Asheville, just off Hwy 19-23 (the future I-26).  According to its website, the college the has had a "strong emphasis, throughout our existence, on providing students a broad liberal arts education which includes academic skills and knowledge that have been valued for centuries; and we note our Baptist roots, which are a significant part of our long commitment to education in a Christian context."  The college offers " 5 degrees (B.A., B.S., B.M., B.F.A., and B.S.W.), 30 majors (with 61 concentrations), and 33 minors.  MHC competes in 19 intercollegiate sports at the NCAA Division II level. The college also has 43 clubs and organizations."

Montreat College is located about 20 miles to the east of Asheville, just to the north of the town of Black Mountain.  According to it website, Montreat College, founded in 1916, is "a Christian liberal arts college and offers master's, bachelor's, and associate's degrees. The college has satellite campuses in Asheville, Charlotte, and other sites supplement the main campus. The College is committed to Christ-centered teaching and learning, and is a member of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities."

  

The University of North Carolina - Asheville is the only designated liberal arts institution in the 16-campus University of North Carolina system.  According to its website, UNCA offers students a choice of 30 majors and offers "an intellectually rigorous education that builds critical thinking and workforce skills."  In athletics, "UNC-A participates in NCAA Division I, Big South Conference competition in men's and women's basketball, cross country, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, tennis, baseball (men), volleyball (women)."  The campus, with an enrollment of 3400, is located at One University Heights in North Asheville.

 

Warren Wilson College is located just to the east of Asheville, in Swannanoa. The college was initially established as the Asheville Farm School in 1894.  In 1967 Warren Wilson became a four-year college.  According to it website, the college's mission is "to provide an education combining liberal arts study, work, and service with a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and experiential opportunities for international and cross-cultural understanding in a setting that promotes wisdom, spiritual growth, and contribution to the common good."  Warren Wilson offers Bachelor's Degree in 40 majors and concentrations and 27 minors.

Western Carolina University (WCU) was founded in 1889 to bring higher education and career opportunities to the western region of North Carolina and is a member of the University of North Carolina system.  The main campus lies about 50 miles to the west of Asheville, in Cullowhee.  This campus has a beautiful setting in a scenic river valley - but I am not impartial as I am an alumnus!  I earned a BS in Chemistry here ... a few years back.   According to its website, WCU offers "Approximately 220 majors and concentrations for undergraduates in addition to more than 40 graduate-level programs of study."  In athletics, the university competes in the Southern Conference.

As you can see, when Living in Asheville, North Carolina one has several options for pursuing advanced education.  Among the choices are schools within the University of North Carolina system, those with religious affiliation, community colleges and a private liberal arts college.  I think we are truly fortunate to have such a diversity of choices within a relatively small geographic area.  So...good luck in your educational pursuits!

Technology: Competitive Services for MAC Users

Until recently, the Asheville area has had only one significant player in the realm of Mac products and service - Charlotte Street Computers.  With the recent arrival of CityMac, Mac users now have two choices when it comes to servicing their Mac products.  I have used Charlotte Street Computers for work on my MacBook and was pleased with the work done.  Nonetheless, I welcome CityMac and hope the increased competition ultimately benefits Asheville Mac users.  In that spirit, I wish both firms success.


As indicated on its website Charlotte Street Computers (CSC) has:



"... been providing Mac and PC repair services to Asheville and surrounding areas since 2000. Voted "Best Computer Repair" by the readers of Mountain Xpress for 5 years running, we have also been the recipient of the Asheville Chamber of Commerce "Sky High Growth Award" for 2 years in a row. Our staff of 17 includes 5 Apple Authorized Technicians, and we look forward to the opportunity to assist you with your computer repair needs."

CSC has three locations; two in downtown Asheville (yes, one's on Charlotte Street!) and another just south of Asheville, in Arden, near the airport.  CSC also provides computer equipment recycling through its e-cycleme.com division.  An overview of this interesting division's operations is provided at the website:


"E-cycleme.com is a computer recycling center in downtown Asheville. We recycle both computers and computer-related electronics, including monitors, desktop and laptop computers, mice, keyboards, servers, computer cables, printers, scanners, etc.  In addition to recycling, e-cycleme.com refurbishes computers for donation to the PowerOn community, in association with The Eblen-Kimmell Charitable Group and A-B Tech. These computers will be donated to people in need throughout our community.  E-cycleme.com processes all non-refurbished electronics and components in accordance with EPA regulations, as well as all local, state, and federal guidelines. To ensure the security of our donors data, we also wipe all hard drives in accordance with guidelines set forth by the Department of Defense."



CityMac, hails from northern Michigan.  According to its website, the Company has operated there as a Mac-specific service provider and retailer since 1988 and prior to 2008 was known as Computer Haus.  The Asheville location opened on 27 November and provides Mac service, hardware, and software.  In addition, the store offers CityMug, CityMac's newest coffee shop concept.  The Asheville store is located at 755 Biltmore Avenue, Suite 101.  I like that, the store is within walking distance of where I live!

Asheville Mac users now have more choices when needing computer service, computer hardware and software, and accessories.  Again, I wish both companies continued success and competitive service and product pricing for local users.  Now, more than ever, you should have no trouble keeping your Mac current and up and running when Living in Asheville North Carolina.

Asheville Mass Transit

Asheville Transit provides bus service throughout the City of Asheville and other local areas with 24 bus routes running from 6 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.  An overview of system routes is provided below but transit systems maps, individual route maps and schedules are available for downloading and printing at the City's Transportation Department website - the following link is provided for convenience (access to maps and schedules).   Asheville Transit also provides a Transit System Service and Weather Alert page which provides pertinent system status information useful when planning your travel.  And our public transit system is bike friendly, according to the transit website, Asheville Transit’s policy is to support and promote the use of bicycles. Bicycles shall have access to all transit vehicles whenever feasible in order to support more sustainable transportation options. Asheville Transit allows bicycles to travel on buses at no extra charge, and provides the greatest flexibility possible within the constraints of capacity and safety. Asheville Transit also offers a "hop and ride" service for commuters; details are available at the website.

Asheville Transit passengers are also able to ride Trailblazer routes through Transit's contract with Mountain Mobility of Buncombe County.   According to Mountain Mobility's website, there are three Trailblazer routes and these are deviated-fixed routes, which means the bus will be at preset locations according to a schedule but can deviate off the route by one-quarter mile to pick a passenger up from an address if the passenger is unable to get to the nearest street the bus runs on.  Each bus has a bike rack for passengers bringing a bicycle.

The City of Asheville is working to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases produced by its fleet of vehicles, this fleet includes transit buses.   On May 6th, 2008 the City of Asheville was awarded the The NC Mobile Clean Air Renewable Energy (CARE) award for its public fleet.  As stated in the 2008 award citation, the 2nd annual, "The NC Department of Transportation, NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Division of Air Quality, and the NC Department of Administration State Energy Office have joined together to sponsor these awards to demonstrate the importance of actions taken to improve air quality."

The award recognized The City of Asheville as a leader in the use of alternative fuels and advanced technology vehicles in Western North Carolina and fleet manager Chris Dobbins as the driving force in this green fleet initiative. With the help of grant monies, the City constructed the region’s first public compressed natural gas (CNG) refueling station in downtown Asheville and will gradually convert most of their fleet to CNG, a clean burning, low carbon fuel. At the time of the award, the City already operated two CNG pickup trucks and six Honda Civic GXs, a dedicated natural gas vehicle.

According to the The City of Asheville 2008 Highlights and Accomplishments summary:

"The city continues to support the carbon reduction goals set by City Council by purchasing energy efficient vehicles. During 2008, Asheville purchased two Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles, five gas-electric hybrid vehicles, and 30 flex fuel vehicles. Overall, the city owns 76 alternative vehicles including 11 CNG Vehicles, 42 flex fuel vehicles, 15 hybrid vehicles, and eight electric vehicles.

In 2008, nearly 1.5 million passengers were served by the city’s public transportation bus service.  In an effort to partner with large employers in the Asheville area to promote public transportation, Asheville Transit continued its Transit Passport program, which provides bulk discounts for transit services for employees of participating organizations. Buncombe County government, Greenlife, and the Grove Park Inn & Spa all joined the Transit Passport program to encourage employees to ride the bus to work.

Asheville Transit received $2.1 million to acquire five hybrid buses, furthering efforts to develop a green transit fleet. In addition, Asheville Transit received a Federal Transit Administration grant to develop an Environmental Management System."

Asheville's trolley cars are long gone.  Today, Asheville's mass transit system is built upon buses and vans operated by the City and Buncombe County.  When Living in Asheville North Carolina, you have the opportunity to use mass transit - transportation provided by an increasingly green fleet of vehicles.

Natural Asheville

The Eden that surrounds Asheville is a totally unique environment.  It has been inhabited and appreciated by various cultures throughout its history: the post-glacial Archaic Cultures; the Cherokee, part of the Iroquois Nation; Spain under Hernando De Soto, Governor of Cuba, who traveled over the Blue Ridge and the Smoky Mountains in search of the city of gold “El Dorado”; William Bertram, who cataloged the region's flora for the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew; Andre Michaux, who on his three trips to the area cataloged more species of trees than found in all of Europe; Josiah Wedgewood, who sought superior clay for his china; and John Fraser, who studied a native fir tree, which has become a popular Christmas tree in homes throughout the east, and the glorious rhododendron.

The area around Asheville, at 150 miles, forms the widest part of the great Appalachian Mountain range, which runs from Canada to Georgia and Alabama. Asheville lies at a gap in that range that connects the southeast to the mid-west plateau. Historically, this positioning enabled early Asheville to serve as a herding center for animals driven to and from Charleston to points northwest. Location, location, location!

Linville Falls Panorama

Of the 46 mountains in the East over 6,000 feet, 34 are in the area around Asheville. These mountains, born in the Jurassic Period, are among the very oldest on Earth, more than a quarter billion years old and counting. The mountains contain geological windows -  one being Linville Falls, on the Blue Ridge Parkway about an hour from Asheville.  The rock at the top of the falls is 500 million years younger than the rock in the pool below. Contrasts are common here - you can watch the sun rise on the highest peak in the east at 6,684 ft,  Mount Mitchell, before descending into Linville Gorge, the deepest gorge in the East (Mt. Mitchell State Park is about one hour north of Asheville).   Later you can hike on Grandfather Mountain (Grandfather Mountain State Park), the oldest of all terrestrial things at 620 million years.

View from Mount Mitchell summit - 30 May 2009

These mountains are rich in minerals - gold was discovered east of Asheville in Burke, Rutherford and Macon Counties and between 1831 and 1840 private mints coined $2,241,850 in gold and the United States Philadelphia Mint more than $9 million, all gold from North Carolina. North Carolina was called the Golden State, long before that other one!  For those interested in this aspect of our natural history, the Asheville area provides two mineral museums; the Colburn Earth Science Museum, in downtown Asheville, and the Museum of North Carolina Minerals, on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Spruce Pine.

The area around Asheville - Western North Carolina, is larger than that of eight states.  Because of federal and corporate ownership, more than 50% of this 7,310,547 acre area will remain undeveloped.  Speaking of conservation, the area is the Cradle of Forestry (located 45 minutes southeast of Asheville), where the modern sustainable forestry movement began as by-product of the establishment of the Biltmore Estate.

Asheville is a climate center as well.  While traversing the mountains you can cross six climate zones, which work to keep our home gardens green.  Asheville is the "center" because it hosts the National Climatic Data Center, the world archive for weather data. Speaking of those gardens, they are everywhere.  With the Biltmore Estate, and its amazing botanical gardens, and the North Carolina Arboretum, the Estate's neighbor to the south, treasures of flora can be found around every corner.  Indeed, one can find abundant insights into the natural world when Living in Asheville, North Carolina.

Quilt Garden at the North Carolina Arboretum

Many thanks to Dan Keith Ray, Asheville resident, for contributing this interesting article.