Thank you, Summer Interns!

This summer the Asheville Art Museum had a fantastic group of Summer Interns! They helped out in departments such as Development, Curatorial, Communications, Visitor Services and even with Non-Profit Law. This year the interns had a chance to help the Museum celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Celebrate 60! Party at The Orange Peel. They helped us throw a fabulous party and everyone had a great time. The Museum would like to thank the interns for all of their hard work, enthusiasm and dedication. Thank you!

Summer Interns 2009 (from left): Eva Bland, Corinne Longman, Rachel Leaptrot, Matt Blalock, Emily Weidie, Jon Spoon, Nancy Sokolove (Adult Programs Manager) and Alex Fisher.

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall!

The Summer has flown by, and it seems that I am at the end of my internship. It's going to be sad to leave this wonderful museum, but I too must move on. Still, there are too many events coming up this fall, that I am sure I will make my way back here one way or another. For the past week I have been frantically updating all of our online calendars so that everyone will be up to speed with these fall events at the Art Museum and in doing so I have come across some great, can't miss events. So I thought, what better way to end my blogging than on a happy, exciting note. So, I countdown for you my top five events for the Asheville Art Museum fall season.

Number Five:
This fall Asheville Art Museum will be starting a new book club, Discussion Bound. Meeting the second Tuesday of each month the group will discuss books that correlate with art in the museum. This group is free with membership or museum admission.

Number Four:
Any of the Lunch Time Art Breaks. We have some amazing art in this museum, and what better way to fully understand it all then to dive into it with a museum staff member. Led by either one of our wonderful docents or knowledgeable curatorial staff member, these Art breaks provide more than just information about the art. From 12-1 it's the perfect break from work, so why not get more for your lunch?

Number Three:
The Art Museum is lucky enough to have some amazing film screenings throughout the year. One film I am most excited to see, Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt, will be playing November 28 with continuous showings from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This is a free event and well worth a look. Using the AIDS Memorial Quilt as a starting point, this film humanizes the disease and illustrates its carnage, showing how it devastates families and communities.

Number Two:
On September 12 The Exhibition opening of Looking Forward: New Works and New Collections for the Permanent Collection brings to light the significant growth that has occurred in recent years. It also showcases some of the areas in which the Museum has collected in depth, including work by Black Mountain College artists, Cherokee artists and Western North Carolina studio craft.

NUMBER ONE:
A Taste of Wine + Art!! Usually a sell out event, this is sure to be an exciting night at the Asheville Art Museum. With local restaurants providing food, an array of different types of wine, and a small collection of unique gifts up for bid, this night will showcase all that Asheville is known for. The date is set for Thursday, September 10 from 6:30 to 9:00 and ticket prices range from $30 per person/$55 per couple for Museum Members and $35 per person/$65 per couple for Non Members. I would suggest, buying your tickets NOW!!

So there you have it, my top five events at the museum this fall! But these are only my top five, there are many more, some that you may even like better! I encourage everyone to take a look at the online calender (www.ashevilleart.org) Or come by in the next month and pick up a Profile. I hope everyones fall goes as well as my summer went! (maybe not as fast though)

Read Any Good Books?

Read any good books lately? I bet many of you didn’t know that here at the museum we have one pretty amazing library filled with books, catalogs, and even movies featuring all types of artwork and artists. I, myself, just learned how impressive this library actually is after sitting down to speak with the library volunteers. (Which, might I add, are some of the most dedicated of all the Museum staff). A little room off to the side, the Asheville Art Museum’s Library was created during the last Museum expansion in late 1999/2000. Though small in size the library holds an impressive amount of literature. While the emphasis rests on 20th and 21st Century American Art, there is at least one book that represents almost every major art period around the world. The library also holds a small TV where you can watch any of the DVDs or VHS that the library has. As a staple in the community, the Art Museum is happy to inspire those who wish to fulfill their dreams artistically. We provide for the community one of the largest collections of Art books in the WNC area. Tourists, students, collectors, anyone is welcomed to come browse our books. The community plays an important part in the library's existence. Almost every book in the library has been generously donated from members of the community and meticulously cataloged by volunteers. Without the generous help of so many, this library wouldn’t be half of what it is today. Still, there is always room to grow, and the museum is always open for new donations or even those who wish to help catalog. The more books we receive the better the library so please donate!

In conjunction with this library, "book-mania" I am happy to announce a new book club here at the Asheville Art Museum this fall. "Discussion Bound" will meet every second Tuesday from 3:00 to 5:00 starting in October. By reading books that correlate with the art in our galleries, we look forward to exchanging ideas and learning about books, art and each other! Discussions will be held in our lovely library with ventures into the galleries to have a 360 view into the book the art and each other. The line up for this season: I Bought Andy Warhol, by Richard Polsky; Bluebeard: A Novel, by Kurt Vonnegut; and Collections of Nothing, by William Davies King.

So, next time someone asks you if you've read any good books lately... you can say proudly: "Thanks to The Asheville Art Museum, I have!"

Past, Present, and Future

Bloggers, I would like to take you back in time. Back to a time when life was simple. Back when cable was the new digital, the Volkswagen Beetle had just arrived and there was no rumor of closing, President Harry S. Truman had just begun a full term, and rather than T-Pain, Some Enchanted Evening was ringing through the airwaves. The year is 1949, and though much has changed since that time one establishment has seen its way through... okay, maybe a few more than one... but the most important one: The Asheville Art Museum. That's right, we have now been around for over 60 years; from 1949 to 2009. For over 60 years the museum has provided the Asheville community with incredible art and both creative and educational outlets. We have seen our fare share of changes; moving from location to location, and yet, here we are, still as strong as the beginning.

To celebrate this anniversary we are having a party. We invite everyone who has supported, appreciated, and loved this museum. From our humble beginnings to our exciting future. We are only as strong as the community around us, so I hope that everyone will come out to the Orange Peel on Saturday and show your support. Dancing, will obviously commence, along with live painters and performance artists, and beer and sangria will flow almost as free as the the band. I'm positive everyone will enjoy themselves. (There is even a rumor that both Frida Kahlo, and Salvador Dali will be there!) So, if you haven't bought your tickets do so now (www.theorangepeel.net)and I will see you on Saturday- you can find me on the dance floor!

**Pictured above is one of the original buildings on Pearson Drive**

Mexican Idyll

I could for this blog simply state what has already been stated about our raffle prizes, they are amazing, they are for a good cause, they are amazing.... Still, I don't think it would get through the same way as If you were to see them face to face. So, I have decided that whoever reads this blog, will get to have an intimate view into the Mexican Idyll prize. I'm talking up close and personal tour. Get ready... Are you ready yet? OK, now sit back down at your computer because we aren't going anywhere. I know, bummer. But thanks to the marvel of technology I have created a virtual walk through of this mid-century modern home. Located in Merida, Mexico this home is equipped with lush tropical gardens, a 60 foot lap pool, custom furniture, fine art, and has just recently been renovated by artist Randy Shull. Relax in the Yucatan as everything is provided for you: gardening, housekeeping. Need a break from this relaxing atmosphere, the home is conveniently located to the unique city of Merida. There you will enjoy the wonderful mixture of colonial city and cosmopolitan destination. Not to mention,Merida has even been designated a United Nations World Heritage Site. So let's take a look inside... and tell me again... have you bought your raffle ticket??

The Countdown Clock

Hello friends. This is your Asheville art Museum intern signing in. days seem to be flying by faster then I was expecting and keeping up with them has become a job in itself. I currently have 3 calendars strategically placed around the computer and that's not even counting the ones I have bookmarked online. Organization is the key this summer, but lately I have been lost in a sea of dates and events. Updating my updates and placing my event placements has become an obsession. Between the calendars on my desk and the ones in cyberspace space I have become a human countdown clock. So, in organizing the dates one more time, I have decided to give you all a peak inside my mind's datebook. I present to you:

THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK:

To begin, let's look at the events that are most important. The Celebrate 60! Raffle has begun. You have exactly 31 days until this raffle ends. That's a month's time or 744 hours or 44640 minutes to pick your favorite prizes and send in your choices. That also gives us exactly 31 days until the Celebrate 60! Family pARTy and The Big Crafty. Yes, both these event are occurring on the same day folks. From 12-6 the big crafty will take over Pack Place, during which time from 1-4 the Celebrate 60! Family pARTy will take place. That's a total of six hours (360 minutes) of crafts and three hours (180 minutes) of pARTying.

On the Celebrate 60! note, our party is coming up in 16 days or, 384 hours, or 23040 minutes. Doors open at 7:30 on Saturday June 27 at the Orange Peel. With Free Flow Band performing, live painters and street performers it is well worth counting down the days to.

The countdown for Summer Art Camp has also begun. This countdown, luckily, isn't too long. Art Camp begins next week on the 15th bright and early at 9:00AM. This gives kids 4 days to prepare. Each session lasts 5 days and each day has 2 sessions. That is each session is 3 and a half hours long or 210 minutes- plenty of time for some ewyyy-goooy fun.

We have a number of exhibition changes coming this summer as well. There is ten days (240 hours) left to view the Expectant Gaze Exhibition, 24 days (576 hours) for the George Masa: Mapping the Mountains Exhibition, and 73 days (1752 hours) left to see Tradition and Innovation. On the other side of these closings there are 22 days (528 hours) till the opening of the exhibition Looking Back, 60 years of collecting at the Asheville Art Museum, and 29 days (696 hours) till the Cherokee Carvers exhibition opening.

Finally it is important to countdown the hour long Art Breaks we have coming up:
1 day for Tradition and Innovation
15 days for Mapping the Mountains. the Photographs of George Masa
29 days for Looking Back, 60 years of Collecting at the Asheville Art Museum
64 days for Cherokee Carvers

Oh! and in case you were wondering the Asheville Art Museum is 60 years old or approximately:
720 months... 21900 Days... 525600 Hours... 31536000 Minutes... I always enjoyed math.

As you can see there is a lot going on at any given hour here. However if you are are little confused on exactly what is going on there is this: Asheville Art Museum Event Calendar.

Until next time, I'll see you at the museum!

Another week has passed

So another week has passed and summer seems to have finally arrived in AVL... and the museum. What have we all been up too?? What exciting things have been happening at your Art Museum??? Well, let me fill you in.

Our newest exhibition: Tradition and Innovation American Masterpieces of Southern Craft and Traditional Art had it's opening May 22. This was the first of many openings I will attend this summer. Having a chance to speak with the artists I got an insiders view into the art and the vision behind it. My favorite piece: the Mardi Gras Indian costume. Something definitely worth checking out for those who couldn't make it.

Last Thursday the Asheville Art Museum got their drink (and read) on. From 5-8 Battery Park Book Exchange was kind enough to host a Museum Night. 50% of the evening's proceeds went to benefit the Museum! People from all over showed up to support the museum. Home baked goodies were provided and overall everyone enjoyed themselves. A few even had a book to go home with.

Yoga at the Museum began this past Monday. As a newbie at yoga, I was a bit timid to go into this class. Though, I was assured it was a beginner level, not having the best of balance I was a bit uneasy about stretching so close to art. Luckily I made it through the class without breaking anything (myself included). Yoga classes will continue every Monday through the month of June.

And finally, we have received our raffle tickets and have begun the process of distributing them! For those who haven't seen the prizes offered you must check them out ASAP! (Though, I find that hard to believe as I have plastered the town with posters).

So, as you can see we are still hard at work at the museum. Feel like your missing out? This next week we have some more events coming up including an Art Break for Tradition and Innovation on June 12 from 12:00-1:00 PM. Luckily I have the Internet on lockdown, constantly updating you on events. So, if you have the following be sure to look for us: Twitter, Facebook, Myspace, and Flickr.

Until next week, this is your Asheville Art Museum Intern signing out.