Blue Spiral 1 and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy have partnered for the first time to organize and host a celebratory AT art exhibition. Along the Trail, which opens tonight from 5 to 8 p.m., features works by eight regional artists. Their works reference, illustrate and depict life — human and animal alike — on the trail.
The show features black and white photographs by Tim Barnwell, pastels by Deborah Squier, paintings by John L. Cleaveland, Jr., William Jameson, Robert Johnson and Suzanne Stryk and mixed-media works by Peggy McBride.
Ten percent of the sales from this exhibition will go to the Conservancy and the upcoming A.T. Biennial Conference. “This is the first kind of arts-based fundraising event for the Conservancy here in this region,” says Leanna Joyner, a regional project manager for ATC.
The West Virginia-based nonprofit is charged with preserving and managing both the physical and historical legacy of the trail. They also focus on promoting trail use and community involvement through their regional offices. (Ours, the Georgia, N.C. and Tenn. regional office, is located here in Asheville.)
The biennial conferences hit various towns and cities along the trail, bringing in trail enthusiasts and educators from all over the country. They feature a weeklong series of workshops, regionally-based outdoors events and infrastructure development sessions for the regional ATC offices. And hiking, of course. This year’s conference will be held July 19 through 26 at Western Carolina University.
Along the Trail opens at Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Ave., from 5 to 8 p.m. The exhibition will be up through July 23. For more information on the exhibition visit http://www.bluespiral1.com. For more information on the conference, visit http://www.appalachiantrail.org/who-we-are/events/2011/07/26/atc-cullowhee-2013.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.