Roots + Wings School of Art and Design celebrates 10 years

Press release from Roots + Wings School: 

It’s hard to believe 10 years have passed since Roots + Wings, Asheville’s premier art and design school for all ages, first opened its doors to the community. Ginger Huebner, the school’s Founder and Director, started Roots + Wings with one simple concept; nurture curiosity and wonder through creative expression. Originally housed at The Cathedral of All Souls, the school began with programming for the littlest of makers: a Visual Arts Preschool for ages 3-6. Huebner’s concept flourished and the school quickly grew beyond the walls of All Souls.

It found extra space for programming by collaborating with other organizations and schools, until it became apparent they needed their very own space.

Fast forward to 2019, Roots + Wings now has its own Creative Campus in the Oakley neighborhood of Asheville at 573 Fairview Road.  Opened in 2015, the R+W Creative Campus allowed the school to triple in size, offering three classrooms to house multiple programs: a Visual Arts Preschool, Weekly classes, Workshops and Custom Lessons for ages 3 to 103, Summer Creativity Camps and Design Studios, and their numerous community events throughout each year. Huebner’s original concept grew to include the principle that everyone can create art and art can connect everyone.

Off site, Roots + Wings continues to run their After-school Community Design Lab programs for grades K-5 through a partnership with Asheville City Schools.  They also have built an outreach arm, that is now partnered with the Asheville Area Arts Council as a fiscal sponsor, to support programming within many community organizations, such as the YWCA, Children First, OpenDoors, Arts for Life, Open Hearts, and Eliada Home.

In addition, over the past years their Director Ginger Huebner has continued to expand her excellence as an art educator and artist.  She works as a Visual Art Advisor to the PBS for the ‘Pinkalicious’ series, the PBS’ Online Learning platform and the PBS Arts Curriculum development.  She also has an inspiring studio practice through which she creates artworks both individual and as collaborations, working with people around the globe.  Her recent exhibit at Pink Dog Creative, Beyond Words, shared how she calls viewers to engage, to connect, to be present, to be compassionate, to be awake, to listen, and to recognize that differences are worth celebrating, and that all stories are worth telling.  You can view her work at www.gingerhuebner.com.

The Roots + Wings’ 10 year Homecoming celebration will be held on September 15 from 2-5pm at their Creative Campus and is open to any and all!  There will be numerous activities for all ages, food, drinks, a raffle and more.  The event is not only a big party but also a community fundraiser for Roots + Wings Outreach programming, specifically to fund their work with Children’s First in Community and Schools at their Woodridge and Pisgah View locations.  Any additional funds raised will be used for the school’s irl programming with Asheville Middle School.

Roots + Wings is beyond grateful for the support and accolades it has received over the last 10 years. The school will continue to provide the community with programming full of integrity, heart, and soul, while constantly dreaming and pursuing new and inspiring ways to create and connect.

More information can be found at www.rootsandwingsarts.com and via updates to their Facebook and Instagram pages.