The 2015 iteration of American Craft Week is held Friday, Oct. 2, to Sunday, Oct. 11, so it’s really a week-plus. That’s a good thing, because with more than 30 Western North Carolina-based craft galleries and organizations involved, it’ll take all 10 days to visit each showroom and explore every exhibit. But even if you can’t make every stop, plan to celebrate Craft Week by checking out an artist demonstration, attending an opening reception or perhaps even purchasing a locally made piece. Learn more at americancraftweek.com.
American Craft Week exhibits and events:
• Art on Main Fine Art / Fine Craft Festival, Main Street, Hendersonville, acofhc.org
The Arts Council of Henderson County holds its 56th annual Art on Main Fine Art / Fine Craft Festival on the streets of downtown Hendersonville Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4. Work on display and for sale includes clay, metal, glass, fiber, wood, painting, photography, jewelry and more.
• Asheville Area Arts Council and Local Cloth, ashevillearts.com, localcloth.org
The Asheville Area Arts Council hosts Connections, a textile exhibit produced by Swannanoa-based nonprofit Local Cloth. View and purchase locally made hats, scarves, wraps, cowls, mittens, bags and more. Local yarn will also be available. The display runs through Saturday, Oct. 31, with an an opening reception Friday, Oct. 2, 5-8 p.m.
• Asheville Art in the Park, Pack Square, ashevilleartinthepark.com
This handmade market for professionals finishes out the season with events Saturdays, Oct. 3, 10 and 17, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Asheville Art in the Park donates 10 percent of its proceeds to a community grant to support local artists.
• Blue Spiral 1, 38 Biltmore Ave., bluespiral1.com
Artists Shane Fero and Elizabeth Brim show individual and collaborative pieces in lamp-worked glass and forged iron in the Showcase Gallery through Friday, Oct. 23. “An acclaimed glassblower, Fero has concentrated the past few years on sculptures featuring vividly patterned birds,” says a press release. “As a female blacksmith working in a traditionally male-dominated medium, Brim’s work often explores issues of gender.”
• The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, 67 Broadway, craftcreativitydesign.org
Current exhibition, Made in WNC, “examines the designer-maker movement through a regionally specific lens, considering how particular histories, geography, economics, technology and education inform an international movement on a local level,” according to the CCCD website. Twenty-six N.C.-based studios are participating or collaborating. An artist installation by Daniel Johnston of Seagrove is on display Thursday, Oct. 1, to Thursday, Oct. 29. The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Grovewood Gallery, 111 Grovewood Road, grovewood.com
The gallery hosts events each Saturday of American Craft Week, including an opening reception for Vessels of Merriment — “an intoxicating exhibition of handcrafted drinking vessels by artists around the country,” according to a press release — Oct. 3, 3-6 p.m. (on view through Thursday, Dec. 31). Take a self-guided tour of artist studios on the Grovewood grounds Oct. 10, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
• Heartwood Gallery, 21 E. Main St., Saluda, heartwoodsaluda.com
During American Craft Week, the gallery hosts a special exhibit, American Craft Serves Well, featuring serving pieces in ceramics, glass, metal and wood. An opening reception and 30th anniversary celebration takes place Saturday, Oct. 3.
• John C. Campbell Folk School, 1 Folk School Road, Brasstown, folkschool.org
More than 240 craftspeople will participate in the folk school’s 42nd fall festival. The festivities also include live music and dance, craft demonstrations, food and more. Saturday, Oct. 3, and Sunday, Oct. 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Mica, 37 N. Mitchell Ave., Bakersville, micagallerync.com
Current exhibit, Forged and Foraged, the art of metalworker Paige Davis and “trash assemblagist” John D. Richards, is on display through Saturday, Nov. 14. During American Craft Week, the gallery celebrates Customer Appreciation Week with cider and cookies.
• Mountain Made, Grove Arcade, mtnmade.com
During American Craft Week, the gallery will highlight baskets made by David Cook. The artist has been working the native smoke vine, aka Dutchman’s pipe, for 20 years. Check the website for dates and times of demos.
• Spruce Pine Potters Market, 31 Cross St., Spruce Pine, sprucepinepottersmarket.com
Potters and clay artists from around the region gather at the historic Cross Street Building in Spruce Pine Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11.
• Tyson Graham Pottery, 6148 Peniel Road, Tryon, tysongrahampottery.com
Tyson Graham hosts a fall open house at Little Mountain Pottery Saturday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Participating galleries and businesses:
• Allanstand Craft Shop at the Folk Art Center, Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 382, avl.mx/1ir
• Appalachian Craft Center, 10 N. Spruce St., Suite 120, appalachiancraftcenter.com
• Flow, 14 S. Main St., Marshall, flowmarshall.com
• Guild Crafts, 930 Tunnel Road, avl.mx/1is
• Haw Creek Forge, 2000 Riverside Drive, #6, hawcreekforge.com
• Haywood Community College, 185 Freedlander Drive, Clyde, creativearts.haywood.edu
• MH Libram Woodturning, 191 Lyman St., Suite 165, woodbowls.net
• New Morning Gallery, 7 Boston Way, newmorninggallerync.com
• Parkway Craft Center at Moses Cone Manor, Blue Ridge Parkway, Milepost 294, Blowing Rock, avl.mx/1iu
• River Arts District Artists, riverartsdistrict.com
• River Oaks Studios, 191 Lyman St., #160, matttommey.com
• Seven Sisters Gallery, 117 Cherry St., Black Mountain, sevensistersgallery.com
• Southern Highland Craft Gallery at Biltmore Village, 26 Lodge St., avl.mx/1it
• Turtle Island Pottery, 2782 Bat Cave Road, Old Fort, turtleislandpottery.com
• The Village Potters, 191 Lyman St., thevillagepotters.com
• Van Dyke Jewelry and Fine Craft, 29 Biltmore Ave., vandykejewelry.com
• WHO Knows Art, whoknowsart.biz
• Yummy Mud Puddle, 264 Clear View Lane, Burnsville, yummymudpuddle.com
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