Stroll downtown Weaverville or visit artists studios around North Buncombe County Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29 and 30.
Faces in the crowd: WNC crowdfunding initatives
Each week, Xpress highlights notable WNC crowdsourcing initiatives that may inspire readers to become new faces in the crowd. This week features a feature film called Luke & Jo, a new album by a Western Carolina University professor, the Beards of Asheville calendar and a couple’s homesteading video series.
Leather shop In Blue Handmade finds major success on Etsy
After three years, Etsy and wholesale e-commerce had become the main source of revenue for the business. Mary Lynn Schroeder made the tough call to sell her storefront and dedicate herself fully to e-commerce. “I couldn’t do a good job at both and sleep,” she says.
Weekend Picks: Friday, Oct. 14 – Sunday, Oct. 16
Whether you are gearing up for Halloween with a walking tour of Riverside Cemetery or just wanting to enjoy some autumn cider at CiderFest, this weekend will not disappoint! There are plenty of shows, gallery exhibition openings and family events to choose from. Check out this list of weekend highlights and visit the Mountain Xpress […]
Craft Week events around WNC
Join in the celebration: Plan a long weekend of studio-hopping, a self-guided exhibition tour or a visit to a craft fair (or three).
American Craft Week and the AAAC showcase emerging artists
For this year’s American Craft Week, organizers are highlighting emerging artists in Rising Stars, an online exhibition featuring 30 craftspeople under the age of 30. The Asheville Area Arts Council further develop the concept with its Best of WNC: Emerging Craft Artist Showcase.
Smart bets: Fiesta Hendersonville
Enjoy sounds, tastes, dances and artistry from about 20 Latin American countries at Hendersonville’s Main Street on Sunday, Sept. 25.
In photos: Open Streets Asheville Festival
The inaugural Open Streets Asheville brought residents and visitors into the streets to enjoy downtown in a new way. With Battery Park Avenue, Wall Street and portions of Haywood Street, Patton Avenue and Church Street closed to automotive traffic, folks did art projects, movement-based activities, listened to buskers and relaxed with yoga and massage.
Smart bets: Project Handmade
More than 40 garments by regional artists and designers will be on showcase at Local Cloth’s Project Handmade fashion show. The Folk Art Center hosts the event on Thursday, Sept. 22.
The people’s market: WNC flea markets offer culture, community and commodities
Whether you’re hunting for a bargain or looking to make some extra cash, gathering with neighbors at a local flea market could be just the ticket. Flea market regulars say the connections that form between buyers and sellers are a unique aspect of the experience, and their value can equal or exceed the monetary rewards.
Smart bets: Sourwood Festival
The Sourwood Idol competition starts the weekend event on Friday, Aug. 12, and the festival continues on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 13 and 14.
Smart bets: Anything That Floats Parade and RiverFest
Participants in RiverLink’s Anything That Floats Parade put in at Hominy Creek Park on Saturday, Aug. 13, at 11 a.m., and the nonprofit’s larger RiverFest event lasts from 1-7 p.m., at the RiverLink Sculpture and Performance Plaza.
Asheville Art Talk: Joe Wakefield and his many birdhouses
Joe Wakefield’s creations come in many shapes – some look like people, others take on the dreamlike shapes of a Salvador Dali painting, while a few look like, well, your typical birdhouse.
Smart bets: Deona Fish and Celia Barbieri
Both artists’ work will be featured in Woolworth Walk’s FW Front Gallery throughout the month of August, and their opening reception takes place Friday, Aug. 5.
LEAF Downtown enters its second year
LEAF Downtown, which returns on Saturday and Sunday, July 30-31, has a decidedly local focus.
Smart bets: The Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands
Now celebrating its 69th year, the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands takes place at U.S. Cellular Center Thursday-Saturday, July 21-23, from 10 a.m., t0 6 p.m., and Sunday, July 24, from 10 a.m., to 5 p.m.
Smart bets: The Big Crafty
The outdoor art fair is free to browse and takes place on Sunday, July 17.
Asheville artists take their crafts abroad
Every year, several of Asheville’s local artists pack their suitcases and catch flights to teach their crafts abroad. From basketry to pottery and painting to fiber arts, these forms are discussed in seminars and taught in workshops all over the world.
Smart bets: Purgatory Pie Press
The exhibit’s free opening reception is Asheville Bookworks on Thursday, July 7, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Smart bets: M.C. Richards exhibit
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center will celebrate alumnus and former teacher Mary Caroline (M.C.) Richards by displaying her work and memoribilia in an exhibit that runs through Saturday, Aug. 20.
Fourth of July events around WNC
Patriotism never goes out of style; nor does fun in the sun. Commemorations of the Fourth are in force — here’s where to celebrate.