Asheville City Council has appointed K. Johnson Bowles, Vice President for Advancement at Warren Wilson College, to serve a three-year term with the Public Art & Cultural Commission beginning June 30. Along with the Asheville art community, Bowles has been involved in public art initiatives across the country.
With the nine members of the Public Art & Cultural Commission, Bowles will help to secure public art, bring awareness to the city’s collection and strengthen Asheville’s position as an arts destination.
From Warren Wilson College:
Press release
ASHEVILLE, NC – June 15, 2015 – In just eight months since her arrival at Warren Wilson College, Vice President for Advancement K. Johnson Bowles has become an active member of the Asheville arts community. Beginning June 30, Bowles will begin her three-year term as a member of the Public Art & Cultural Commission, which is responsible for promoting and maintaining art in public buildings and spaces throughout the city.
Bowles, who was appointed by Asheville City Council, has a distinguished career as a curator, arts advocate, educator and fundraiser. She has led public art initiatives in Houston, Texas, South Bend, Indiana, Southwest Michigan and Central Virginia. Prior to joining Warren Wilson, she spent 12 years as the director and curator of Longwood University’s art museum, which is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
“My interest in serving on the Asheville Public Art Commission is borne of a love of the arts and belief that the arts play an essential role in everyday life,” said Bowles. “I am eager to make a difference by serving the people of Asheville and Buncombe County as well as engaging visitors in the cultural life of the region.”
As a member of the nine-person commission, Bowles will help in securing public art, bringing awareness to the city’s collection and strengthening Asheville’s position as an “arts destination.”
An accomplished artist in her own right, Bowles’ works have been exhibited nationally nearly 75 times. She has curated more than 125 exhibitions of African, American, Chinese and European art, and has been recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts.
Throughout her 26-year career in higher education, Bowles has established herself as an expert in institutional fundraising, strategic planning and community engagement. In September, she joined the administration at Warren Wilson College as the vice president for advancement, where she is responsible for designing, planning and initiating development programs.
For more information on the Asheville Public Arts & Cultural Commission, visit ashevillenc.org.
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.