Around town: New gallery opens butterfly art exhibition

On the Wing Gallery is hosting a reception for its new exhibition, Union, on Friday, Aug. 16, 5-8 p.m.

On the Wing, located in in the River Arts District, is known for artfully arranging farm-raised butterflies and preserving them in pilot cases. Union represents a collaboration between On the Wing’s entomological artists, David Trophia, Sam Trophia and Shane Hall, and jeweler Deb Karash, who layers color onto copper pieces using colored pencils.

“We’ve really scoured the internet and we haven’t seen anything out there remotely like this,” David says. “We designed the exhibit to be cash and carry: small pieces that are not too expensive so that people can afford them, but each piece is completely unique.”

Bee City USA, a nonprofit that promotes pollinator gardens, will have a table at the event and will be accepting donations for the Asheville Butterfly Trail project and several other initiatives to encourage pollinators across the city. A portion of the proceeds from the exhibit will also support this work. The Sam and Christine Trophia Butterfly Research and Education Center, a butterfly conservatory in Key West, Fla., will donate to the project.

“We’re trying to connect with local organizations to promote ethical and sustainable treatment of butterflies and bees,” David says. “It’s so important to this area, and I think this art pays tribute to that.”

The reception will offer light fare and drinks and an opportunity to speak directly with the artists. The gallery also offers a variety of other artwork inspired by winged insects.

On the Wing Gallery is at 20 Artful Way, No. 105. For more information, visit avl.mx/dnx.

Concert series comes to Madison County

ReClaim Madison Salvage & Thrift will host a monthly livestream concert series from August to January to support the mission of the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County.

The concerts will be livestreamed on ReClaim Madison’s Instagram and Facebook accounts and broadcast live on wART FM Radio in Madison County. The concerts will also be archived on ReClaim’s YouTube channel. There will be no live audience, but the store will be open to customers during the concerts.

“The series was inspired by the NPR Tiny Desk Concert series and also by musicians who livestreamed during the COVID epidemic,” says Community Housing Coalition Executive Director Sarah Pike. “We started with asking musicians in Madison County that we know have a fan base here and beyond. We are also speaking to some other groups in the area and hope to offer a variety of styles and genres.”

All concerts will take place at 3 p.m. The first will be performed by Madison-based Americana musician Pierce Edens on Friday, Aug. 16. The next concerts include 75 Singlewide on Friday, Sept. 20,  Pleasure Chest on Friday, Oct. 11, and Mountain, Mountain, Mountain Boys on Friday, Nov. 22. December and January concerts will be announced later.

All participating musicians are donating their time to support the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County. For over 20 years, the nonprofit has provided new affordable home construction and improvements to residents in need, such as roofs and flooring, accessibility, and electrical, heating and septic systems. The coalition also operates ReClaim Madison Salvage & Thrift, which sells used furniture, appliances and building materials. These relief efforts rely heavily on volunteers and direct public contributions.

ReClaim Madison Salvage & Thrift is at 798 Walnut Creek Road, Marshall. For more information, visit avl.mx/e0t.

Bestselling author reads at Citizen Vinyl

Citizen Vinyl will host a reading and book signing with Frances Mayes on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 5 p.m., in partnership with Malaprop’s Bookstore and Café and Blue Ridge Public Radio.

Mayes’ new novel, A Great Marriage, is about a perfect wedding that is called off days before the event, sending the two families reeling. Mayes is a New York Times bestselling author whose work has been translated into over 50 languages. She is best known for her novel Under the Tuscan Sun, which was made into a movie starring Diane Lane. Her other books include, among others, the internationally bestselling Bella Tuscany, Every Day in Tuscany, A Year in the World and three illustrated books: In Tuscany, Bring Tuscany Home and The Tuscan Sun Cookbook.

The event costs $38, which includes a copy of the book. Doors open at 5 p.m. for a meet-and-greet with cocktails at 5:30 p.m., followed by a reading and book signing at 7 p.m.

Citizen Vinyl is at 14 O. Henry Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/e0u.

Celebrating Appalachian music

The Blue Ridge Music Center and N.C. Arts Foundation will host an information session about the Historic Asheville Sessions Project at Citizen Vinyl on Thursday, Aug. 15, 5-7 p.m.

The project was developed to present, interpret and celebrate a series of recordings made in Asheville by the OKeh General Phonograph Corp. in the summer of 1925. The recordings have never been reissued, though they were the first performances of traditional Southern Appalachian music recorded for commercial sale for a broader American audience. The presentation will explore the historical significance of these recordings as both proto-country music and a touchpoint for the cultural vernacular of the region.

After Ted Olson and Wayne Martin outline the nature of the project, guests will hear a sampling of the songs recorded at the sessions.

Olson is a professor in the department of Appalachian studies at East Tennessee State University and a cultural historian, record producer, editor, poet, photographer and musician. Martin is the executive director of the N.C. Arts Foundation. He led the team that created Blue Ridge Music Trails of North Carolina in 2003, which was used to advocate for the creation of the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area. Both men have a long history of exploring and honoring the musical history of the region.

Citizen Vinyl is at 14 O. Henry Ave. For more information, visit avl.mx/e0v.

Tell us a story

Story Parlor will host a show called The Campfireball on Friday, Aug. 15, 7:30 p.m.

The event is part game show, part talk show and part improvisation, inspired by the lives and stories of people in the audience. The theme of this month’s The Campfireball is “The Nevers: things we thought we’d never do, the people we swore we’d never become, what we hope never happens, and what we’re afraid might never come true.”

The show is spontaneous, but its structure was workshopped and developed by its presenter, Moth Grand Slam winner Cory Howard, over two years in the master’s degree program for storytelling at East Tennessee State University.

Anyone over the age of 16 is welcome, and participation in the storytelling is completely voluntary. Tickets cost $15 and doors open at 7 p.m.

Story Parlor is at 227 Haywood Road. For more information, visit avl.mx/dit.

The Mule hosts Beatles singalong

The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. is hosting “Beatles Hymn Sing: An All-Inclusive Sing Along with House of Mercy” on Friday, Aug. 15, 6-8 p.m.

The House of Mercy band will be playing live Beatles songs for participants to sing along with. The event is free, and no singing experience is required. The event intends to bring people together to jam along with one of the most recognizable discographies of all time.

House of Mercy is a Christian community that meets each week for service at The Mule’s warehouse. The church self-describes as being made up of people who have felt isolated or wounded by more traditional faith communities.

The Mule at Devil’s Foot Beverage Co. is at 131 Sweeten Creek Road. For more information, visit avl.mx/e0w.