May 2011

East of Asheville Studio Spring Tour Takes Place - May 14 & 15, 2011

The 2011 East of Asheville Studio Spring Tour will take place throughout the winding roads of East Asheville, Swannanoa, Black Mountain and Fairview, NC, on May 14 & 15, 2011, from 10am-6pm daily.

First it’s the birds flying around trying to find a place to build a nest, then it’s the Bradford Plums bursting into bloom, then the cherries, and all of Asheville begins to explode in a riot of color and charm.

Artists have been hunkering down in their studios all winter long - with winter’s chill it’s the perfect time to explore and perfect their techniques and creative expression. But now it’s Spring! Yes, it’s Spring and time to display their colors and crafts for the world to see.

Just like birds and blossoms, the artists of the East of Asheville Studio Tour are getting ready to display what they have been gestating. The Spring studio tour will run through the winding roads of East Asheville, Swannanoa, Black Mountain and Fairview and you can visit the artists, see demonstrations, find treasures to cherish for a lifetime or just enjoy the day hopping from place to place and surrounding yourself with the beauty of art and the pleasure of the drive.

The East of Asheville Studio Tour began in Swannanoa in 2006 with Maud and Austin Boleman of Black Mountain Studios. On the original tour there were only 12 artists. Now the group has grown to over 50 artists who participate on and off depending on their schedules and seasonal crafts. The spring tour displays the work of 28 artists, plus the exceptional resident artists who are clients at the Black Mountain Neuro-Medical Treatment Center.

This tour includes the work of fine furniture makers Brian Brace and Paul Schmitz of Black Mountain as well as phenomenal muralist Jason Brown. Brown is a visiting artist at Studio 208 where he has painted a mural for studio owners Fred and Lynda Feldman. Fred Feldman is a wood sculptor who also works in mixed media and “found” objects, as well as crafting exquisite audiophile-quality speaker systems.

Over the windy back-roads to Fairview, Roger Klinger creates beautiful steel and iron garden sculpture amongst other things. And speaking of metal, Catherine Vibert has been exploring mixed media textures with metallic paints to a scintillating effect. Masterful marquetry and impressionist painting by Peggy and Mike Taylor will definitely impress you, and world class glass blower Victor Chiarizia will not only be demonstrating his pyrotechnics daily, but he’ll also be offering samples of his newest creative efforts, handcrafted cheese!

Pick up a brochure at many places of business around town Asheville, or download it at (www.eaststudiotour.com).

For more information call 828/686-1011 or visit (www.eaststudiotour.com)

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