Art Adventurers in Penland

The Museum's Art Adventurers traveled up to Mitchell County on October 7 for an amazing day of inspiration and discovery. Hopes for a gorgeous day with bright fall colors and blue sky were dampened a little with gray and cloudy skies, but the group's enthusiasm was not diminished--everyone just had to stay a bit more energetic to keep warm! We started the day touring the campus of Penland School of Crafts, a vibrant center of creativity in the WNC mountains. Our delightful tour guides were master weaver Edwina Bringle and Gloria Schulman, photographer and wife of longtime Penland ceramist Norm Schulman. The day trippers enjoyed walking through the various studios on campus: ceramics, printmaking, metal, glass, painting and drawing, book arts, wood--some were quiet and allowed investigation of materials and equipment, while others were hopping with activity. The group really enjoyed the glass studio, although I am not sure if that was because of the glass work going on or simply because it was WARM!

After a great lunch at The Pines, the group spent the afternoon touring several studios of artists who have chosen to make a home near Penland. First, we went to the Bringle Gallery to see Edwina's weavings and her twin sister, Cynthia's ceramics. Always fun to see a potter's personal "coffee cup collection." Next, we went on to the studios of Pablo Soto, glass artist and Cristina Cordova, ceramist. The group ended the day a the studio of ceramist Nick Joerling.

The group had a wonderful day, meeting artists, making new friends, being inspired and SHOPPING! The next Art Adventure will be on Sunday, January 11, and will be the ever-popular annual "Collections & Obsessions" tour of private collections in the area. Contact Rebecca Lynch-Maass at rlynchmaass@ashevilleart.org or 828.253.3227, ext. 114 for more information on these exciting day trips.

Suzanne Jones enjoys the painting and drawing studio.

Gloria Schulman shows off some recent work in the letterpress studio to Richard Pigossi, Lauretta Warlick and Pat Ramsey.

Several of the Adventurers check out a dry stone masonry class working on a campus rock wall.