[Jon Graham.]

Person: Jon Graham
Place: Riverside Studios
Passion: Landscape Paintings

Everyday, we move, we step, we ignore and we forget. We pass buildings; broken, uninhabitable and condemned. We drive beneath power-lines, unaware of their monstrosity. Our routes, at times become so familiar that we unknowingly dismiss the landscapes we pass.

Jon Graham's eyes see the background to our days. He finds both beauty and sadness with the past, in buildings left behind, standing but not producing. Graham started a series of landscape paintings years ago in his hometown of Wilmington, N.C. and has been recreating them ever since.

Read the rest of this post »

[Asheville GreenWorks.]

Persons: Asheville GreenWorks
Place: Inside Northlight Studios; 357 Depot Street.
Passion: Cleaning and greening Buncombe County

You probably were aware that Asheville, North Carolina is Beer City USA, but did you know it also holds the title of Tree City USA [for the past 32 years...]

Thanks to Asheville GreenWorks, an organization that originated 38 years ago with the mission to beautify a city, that once, wasn't the beauty we see today. Thirty eight years ago, Asheville was much of a ghost town; deserted streets, not much greenery, lots of trash and vacant buildings. Then stepped in three ladies fresh back from a trip to Switzerland, where mountain towns were thriving because they were clean and they were green. They envisioned Asheville could be as well. So they gathered a grant, and started planting trees, hundreds of them, downtown. The community joined in their efforts and started cleaning up around town. They jumped into the Swannanoa River, which at that time was practically a junkyard, to pull out cars, couches and all kinds of household junk.

Read the rest of this post »

[WE-POT.]

Persons: WE-POT potters
Place: Various locations in the district
Passion: Pottery

Gathered around an old wooden table filled with plates piled with spring veggies, nine ladies discuss ideas. They speak to each other comfortably and easily, bouncing thoughts off one another, finishing sentences and laughing excitedly all along.

Read the rest of this post »

[John Mac Kah]

Person: John Mac Kah
Place: Cotton Mill Studios
Passion: Fine Art Painting

Read the rest of this post »

[Akira Satake]

Person: Akira Satake
Place: Curve Studios [12 Riverside Drive]
Passion: Functional pottery  

Ten years ago, Akira Satake was stressed out. His days were long and his nights were sleepless. He was working 12 to 14 hour days as music producer in New York City. He decided, for the sake of his well-being, that he needed to relax. Satake signed up for a pottery class in the city and this class changed the direction of his life.

Read the rest of this post »

[Kirsten Stolle.]

Read the rest of this post »

[David Simchock.]

Person: David Simchock                         
Place: Studio 375 Depot                          
Passion: Photography

Let us start out by saying, David Simchock is “humbled to be here,” in the River Arts District that is. He is humbled to be surrounded by talent, community and energy. This says a lot considering Simchock has traveled the world, continent-hopping over the past nine years. He has been places, he has seen the faces and the landscapes of this world, and these things have inspired him to pursue a career in photography.  

Read the rest of this post »

[The Asheville Area Arts Council.]

Person: Kitty Love; new Executive Director for the AAAC
Place: 346 Depot Street
Passion: Advocating the arts

Kitty Love is a self-proclaimed workaholic. This fact is great for her new position as Executive Director for the Asheville Area Art Council. She goes out of her way to get things done, putting together power points unasked, giving well received presentations to people who like herself, like to make things happen. Kitty has visions and with Kitty, visions become reality...

Read the rest of this post »

        [The Odyssey mural.]

Persons: Alex Irvine & Kathy Triplett                   
Place: Outside the Odyssey Center at 236 Clingman Avenue 
Passion: Ceramic  Mural                                    

This time last year, two artists started a collaboration ; a ceramic mural which is currently being pieced together by artists Alex Irvine and Kathy Triplett. If you have been down Clingman Avenue Extension in the past few weeks, you probably have noticed the two working long hours under the autumn sun. You may have also noticed one of the artists, Alex Irvine, in a sling.

Read the rest of this post »

[The Button Florist.]

Person: Celia Barbieri
Place: The Phil Mechanic Building at 109 Roberts Street
Passion: Button Flowers & Ceramics

One step inside Celia Barbieri’s studio and your eyes spin from space to space with excitement. Her studio is filled with vibrant colors in every direction you turn. Look up to find old fish-tanks filled with hundreds of collected buttons from all over the country, to your side to find giant bouquets of bold button flowers. Studio shelves are stocked with trays and plates of buttons arranged by color. Baskets hang from the ceiling containing an array of felt patterns. Every angle fills the eye with awe.

Read the rest of this post »