Locals know that Asheville is home to lots of artists and makers. According to the National Center for Arts Research, Asheville ranked in the top 10 “Most Vibrant Art Communities” for cities of similar size in 2018.
If you believe, as the authors of this study do, that “creativity is a desirable and necessary element for an innovative and thriving community,” then check out some of the talented artists and instructors cultivating artistic curiosity in our region’s many galleries, studios, storefronts and community spaces. Use this list as a starting point to explore a new interest, jump-start your artistic engine or just get your hands dirty in a totally fun way. Classes are suitable for a range of artistic abilities and ages. Unless otherwise noted, most are in Asheville and require advance registration.
Book arts, printmaking and letterpress
• Learn creative approaches to printing, bookbinding and other paper-based art forms. Classes are typically one to three days. Asheville Bookworks, 428 Haywood Road, ashevillebookworks.com
Drawing and illustration
• Join artist Alex Alford for a three-hour figure-drawing session every Friday evening. Live, nude models. Confirm attendance by emailing info@colourfield.com. Colourfield Studio, 54 Ravenscroft Drive, colourfield.com/art
• Art instructor Pamela Lanza offers focused workshops in drawing and other fundamentals for beginning to advanced artists. Classes range from one day to one month. Locations vary. pamelalanza.com
Fabric arts and sewing
• Create a custom-dyed piece of fabric or clothing while learning techniques such as batik and tie-dyeing. Wax On Studio, 4 Mulvaney St., waxonstudio.com
• The Cloth Fiber Workshop inside Riverview Station offers a variety of textile workshops ranging from screen printing to upcycling and making your own plant-based dyes. 191 Lyman St., clothfiberworkshop.com
• Get your stitches straight with sewing classes. Four-week sessions usually run each month. Also, individual classes for teens are available. ARTeries by Stina, 248 Haywood Road, arteriesbystina.com
Glass, pottery and ceramic art
• “Make Your Own” 30-minute sessions featuring cups, ornaments, jewelry, marbles and more. Ages 11 and older. North Carolina Glass Center, 140 Roberts St., Suite C, ncglasscenter.org
• In addition to its longer clay-working series, Odyssey Clayworks hosts two-hour “Ready, Set, Throw” pottery wheel classes on select Friday evenings. All levels. All ages. 236 Clingman Ave., odysseyclayworks.com
• Spend a couple of hours painting functional pottery, figurines and dinnerware from a large selection of objects. All ages. Walk-ins welcome. Brevard Clay, 16 W. Main St., Brevard, brevardclay.com
• With two locations serving Hendersonville and Asheville, Fired Up Lounge offers a casual drop-in studio environment. Guests can make fused glass objects and mosaics as well as paint on pottery or canvas. Take a spin on the pottery wheel (reserve in advance) or create a clay hand built vessel. All ages. No registration required. 26 Wall St., Asheville; 350 Chadwick Ave., Hendersonville, fireduplounge.com
• Sample lots of craft forms — from painting canvas and pottery to clay hand-building, glass mosaic, silver, clay, jewelry and more. All ages. No registration required. 1378 Hendersonville Road, Suite D, clayingaround.com
• Play with fire at Weaverville-based Crucible Glassworks, where you can make your own paperweight or tumbler in a 30-minute workshop. Day classes for beginners and advanced artists run two to four hours. 60 Clarks Chapel Road, Weaverville, crucibleglassworks.com
Mixed media
• Two-hour private sessions in painting, drawing, linoleum block printing, mandala-making and more await students at Urban Art Retreat and Studio of Asheville. Ask about special classes for children, too. 315 Pearson Drive, theurbanartretreatandstudio.com
• Learn how to “marble” paint a scarf, improve your drawing skills or translate your love of landscapes with a small canvas oil painting class. Majik Studios, 207 Coxe Ave., Studio 13, majik-studios.com
• Heather Hietala’s workshops explore techniques such as batik, embroidery, collage and color across a range of mediums, including textiles, paper and books. Most sessions are two days. heatherallenhietala.com
• Join studio artists from 310 Art in the River Arts District for workshops in their chosen mediums. Upcoming classes include eco-printing, watercolor, metal, clay, jewelry, encaustic painting, card-making and luminaries. Classes are updated frequently and suit a range of abilities and interests. 191 Lyman St., No. 310, 310art.com
• Artist Jan Widner offers affordable classes for school-age children at her home studio and workspace in Oakley. Each week, young artists learn about art history while exploring varied techniques and materials. Private lessons for adults are also available. jansartacademy.com
• Exploration is the focus of Roots + Wings School of Art & Design. The program’s after-school art sessions serve kids in grades kindergarten through eighth at multiple locations, while various classes, open studios and community events target teens and adults at the school’s Creative Campus in the Oakley community. Registration varies by activity. 573 Fairview Road, rootsandwingsarts.com
• Purple Crayon offers studio space for women-identifying artists ages 18 and older. Rotating workshops provide additional opportunities to complete instructor-led craft projects in glass mosaics, jewelry, block-printing, illustration and more. 9 Old Burnsville Hill Road, Suite 5, purplecrayonavl.com
Woodworking
• Four-hour sessions with woodworker Scott Meek teach you how to handle tools while refining fundamental skills such as joinery, sharpening and planing. scottmeekwoodworks.com
Painting
• Bring your own drinks and snacks to this themed painting class where instructors lead you through a project that you can take home. Most classes are for ages 12 and older. 2 Town Square Blvd., No. 150, paintingwithatwist.com
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