Eleanor Annand, artist There will be an opening reception for four new exhibits at Blue Spiral 1 on Friday, May 3, from 5–7 p.m. In the Main Level Gallery, the group exhibition Dusk Till Dawn features works in a variety of media exploring this mysterious, ethereal time frame. Artist Caleb Clark used to focus on portraiture, but when working with people in the studio became less safe during the pandemic, he shifted to painting nighttime landscapes. “The shift to nocturnes marked an important evolution in my work and I continue to be fascinated by the possibilities of the subject matter,” he s ..read more

The Kiss. Susan Webb-Tregay, artist The Art League of Henderson County presents Fabulous Fakes, an exhibit and sale of paintings by members of the Art League imitating the Old Masters such as Picasso, Van Gogh and Renoir. From Saturday, May 4, through Sunday, May 12, the art work will be placed among three galleries: Art Place Gallery, Art MoB Studios and Marketplace and The Gallery at Flat Rock. A “passport” will direct visitors to the location of artwork and, once punched at each gallery, the passport will go into a drawing for dinner for two at Postero Restaurant. Mixed media and cold wax ..read more

Photo by Camilla Calnan By Andrew Dallas-Marconi Beginning Saturday, May 4, the North Carolina Arboretum will celebrate spring’s return with the immersive floral exhibit Bloom with a View designed by Ibo Gülsen, owner of the Dutch company IGMPR. Attendance at the inaugural event at the Arboretum last year exceeded expectations. “While spring is a glorious time to visit the Arboretum and witness the emergence of colorful flowers both in our gardens and growing wild,” says Arboretum marketing and public relations manager Brian Postelle, “Bloom with a View takes the experience to an entirely di ..read more

(Left) Walking With; (Right) Sharing the Story. Sara Bell, artist In May, Asheville Gallery of Art (AGA) presents Conversations with Trees, an exhibit featuring Sara Bell, running through Friday, May 31. The works in this exhibit are inspired by Bell’s time in nature and her group study of Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience, a book by professor and social worker Brené Brown. “The group I’m involved with recently transitioned from exploring and defining the multitude of emotional states humans experience into a discussion of how to use those ..read more

Gallery COR. Photo by Drew Gaddis For the second year, Mosaic Realty presents the Mosaic Art Walk & Benefit, a free community event in which Mosaic partners with 14 downtown Asheville art galleries to help raise funds for regional nonprofits. The event will be held Thursday, May 2, with galleries open from 5–8 p.m. and the Asheville Art Museum open from 5–9 p.m. The recently opened Gallery Mélange features the work of artist owners Mark Bettis, Jeffrey Burroughs and Victoria Pinney. “In staying true to our name, Mélange, there’s a mix of our team who participated in the event last year a ..read more

Dirty Logic performs a tribute to Steely Dan. Photo by David Simchock Asheville Music School (AMS) will celebrate 10 years at its annual Sound Effects Benefit Concert on Thursday, May 23. This year’s concert brings Steely Dan tribute band Dirty Logic to the outdoor stage at Salvage Station. “The fact that we have a group of truly great musicians in Dirty Logic coming to play to support AMS means a great deal to us,” says Ryan Reardon, executive director of AMS. “It’s extra special when professional musicians see the importance of the work that we do.” The event raises funds for AMS programs ..read more

Olga Kern. Photo by Chris Lee By Gina Malone For its season finale, Masterworks 7: Titan, Asheville Symphony has partnered with Brevard Music Center (BMC) to present premiere pianist Olga Kern in a performance on Saturday, May 18, at 2 p.m. at BMC’s Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. On Tuesday, May 14, at 7:30 p.m., Kern will play a solo recital at BMC’s Parker Concert Hall. “It is a special treat for the Asheville Symphony to collaborate with Brevard Music Center to make the final Masterworks concert of our season possible,” says Daniel Crupi, executive director of the Asheville Symphony. The c ..read more

Coming Home. Shirley Bavonese, artist By Gina Malone Nature acts as an essential muse to many an artist, and Shirley Bavonese is no exception. “I seek her beauty and paint her with reverence,” Bavonese says. “There is no limitation to my inspiration. She is my guide.” Growing up in Michigan, Bavonese was much younger than her sisters and so spent a lot of time alone, many of those hours in creative pursuits. “I began drawing as early as second grade,” she says. “I was especially interested in portraits.” By high school, she had fully embraced portraiture, choosing as subjects rock stars of t ..read more

All-women SAWS field crew on Tusquitee Bald. Photo by Kristy Ealdwine By Emma Castleberry Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) was founded in 2010 to address the need for stewardship across the southeast. Wilderness maintenance is a unique challenge­—the areas are remote and difficult to access, and often the use of motorized tools like chainsaws is prohibited. Sometimes local trail clubs are reluctant to support the designation of new wilderness because they don’t have the capacity to maintain it. “SAWS was born from this need for stewardship, particularly from young adults and t ..read more

The spring installment of the Bi-Annual Grovewood Village Studio Tour will take place on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19, from 12—5 p.m. on both days. The free, self-guided tour provides an opportunity to peek into the studios of resident artists at Grovewood Village and learn more about their process and current work. Melissa Engler and Graeme Priddle in their studio Ceramic artist Lisa Gluckin makes one-of-a-kind, handbuilt pieces that she loves discussing with visitors during the tour. “I welcome the curious visitor,” she says. “I am always eager to talk craft and process. I love sha ..read more