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At Home: In Southcliff
It’s taken a while, but Indiana transplant Alan Jackson has finally put down some roots. He left a 19-year corporate career in the oil change business to head out on his own in 2001 with the acquisition of Chammies Car Wash & Jiffy Lube, located at 720 Hendersonville Road. He now runs three locations: the one in Asheville, in Hendersonville at 1600 Four Seasons Boulevard, and in Brevard at 941 Asheville Highway.
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In Bloom: American Strawberry Bush
American Strawberry Bush (Euonymus americanus last word), also known as Hearts-a Burstin’ and Bursting Heart, is a shrub with narrow, opposite leaves, green stems, and tiny, inconspicuous flowers that become crimson red fruits. The red fruits seem to be bursting out of their red winter coats.
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Helping Keep Horse Shows in Our Area
It was a cold night in November of last year when a very determined group of horse enthusiasts came together who recognized the need for a local show circuit in the Western North Carolina area. There wasn’t a concrete plan, but there was enough excitement to fill the entire restaurant we were meeting in. One thing was for certain, we were all in agreement that the downturn in the economy had made horse shows disappear almost entirely in the area.
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Compleat Naturalist: Partridge-Berry
While we were hiking recently, we noticed many beautiful little trailing vines with paired, dark green, rounded leaves and bright red berries. Partridge-berry is a plant that covers the forest floor in some places, clinging close to the ground. Occasionally, you can see it nestled in a bed of beautiful moss as in the photograph.
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The Benefits of Hot Springs are Close at Hand
Bubbling hot tubs filled with nurturing mineral waters sit by the French Broad River and nearby Spring Creek beneath a canopy of sky and treetops. If the Appalachian Mountains are nature’s gift to our region, then the hot springs of Madison County are the bow on top. These underground springs issued an inviting welcome to the early settlers in the area, and continue to welcome locals, campers, and tourists.
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Out There: Wrong Place, Wrong Time
We are all familiar with the concept of being in the wrong place at the wrong time where an unfortunate soul experiences an event by the sheer coincidence of bad timing and location. Some recent events have drawn my attention to this predicament and they got me thinking about the possibilities of preventing such circumstances.
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Swing of Things: Where You Tee It Up Does Matter
The two national organizations presiding over the game of golf have joined forces to suggest a system where more players could actually enjoy the game. The PGA (Professional Golfers Association) and the USGA (United States Golf Association) are promoting a new program entitled “Tee It Forward.” This program would help golfers have more fun on the course and enhance their overall experience by playing from a set of tees best suited to their abilities. If you hit your drives more than 275 yards, read no further.
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The Grape Vine: Wine Buying Tips for Tough Economic Times
The year was 1998 and I had just started working at a small wine shop in the mountains of Colorado while I enjoying my post-college sabbatical (aka, finding myself). The economy was robust and people were buying expensive wines, expensive cigars, and other expensive “stuff.” Fast forward to 2011 and the situation couldn’t be more different. The affluence of the ’90s has been replaced with a more thoughtful and careful wine buying. I’ve got good news—we live in a golden age of wine and great values abound. Here are some surefire ways to get maximum bang for your buck when buying wine in a trying economy.
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Cover Artist: Andy Farkas
Ask Andy Farkas when he decided upon art as a career and he answers with words that are as carefully crafted and imbued with subtle meaning as his wood prints. “That’s complicated,” he begins. “In some ways, it always has been and in others it never will be.”
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Jeremy Graves & Joey Sheehan: The Nature of Pots and Paint
The September exhibit at Woolworth Walk’s F.W. Front Gallery opens with a reception from 5–7 P.M. on Friday, September 2. The exhibit, is titled The Nature of Pots and Paint, features the artwork of local artists Jeremy Graves and Joey Sheehan.
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The Beautification: Denise Stewart-Sanabria Exhibits at 16 Patton Fine Art
The absurdity of “beautifying” food through cosmetic treatments is the central theme of an exhibit of works by Denise Stewart-Sanabria running through October 2 at 16 Patton Fine Art Gallery. There will be an opening reception from 5–8 P.M. on Friday, September 2.
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Book Features
Naked and Hungry by Ashley Memory and The Night Train by Clyde Edgerton
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Art on Main Festival in Hendersonville
The Arts Council of Henderson County will present the 52nd annual “Art on Main” along downtown Hendersonville’s historic Main Street, October 1–2, from 10–5 p.m. One of our area’s most popular outdoor arts festivals, Art on Main features both fine arts and fine crafts. Artists from throughout North and South Carolina, as well as from Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, Virginia, Maryland, and many other states will participate in this year’s event.
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Living on the Edge: Exhibit to Benefit Pisgah Legal Services
Homelessness for many is but a missed paycheck away. For others, it is already a fact of life. It’s estimated more than 500 homeless people in Asheville don’t know where they’ll sleep tonight. With foreclosures on the rise, hundreds of others of our neighbors are at risk of becoming homeless.
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Feature Artist: Grace Cathey
Metal sculptor Grace Cathey was only 18 years old when she left her childhood home in Florida and came to Western North Carolina. “I moved with a group of friends,” says Grace. “I needed an adventure.” She next says what most of us have heard so often from others who’ve moved here: “When I landed in the mountains, I knew I would never leave. My heart was here. I knew I had come home.” She bounced around a bit—first Hendersonville, then Sylva, and finally Waynesville, which she felt suited her best.
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Cassie Ryalls: Soul Serenade at Constance Williams Gallery
An exhibit of works by Cassie Ryalls will be on display from September 10 through October 6 at Constance Williams Gallery in the River Arts District. It opens during the gallery’s “Second Saturday” event in which the public is invited to meet with the artists in their working studios, learn about their processes, and see new works. There will be an opening reception day from 11–4 P.M. on September 10.
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Art Happenings at Monte Vista Hotel in Black Mountain
The recently renovated Monte Vista Hotel in Black Mountain is partnering with the Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League to showcase works by local artists. Special events called “First Fridays” are monthly receptions focused around new artists’ debuts. The next one is scheduled for September 2 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. to celebrate the opening of an exhibit of works by Alicia Chatham, Constance Humphries, and Ellen Langford. Other “First Fridays” are set for October 7, November 4, and December 2.
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All Over the Map at the Haywood County Arts Council
Multimedia landscape artist Donna Rhodes’ unique view of our planet is featured in an exhibit titled All Over the Map, presented by the Haywood County Arts Council. There will be an opening reception from 6–9 P.M. on Friday, September 2, and the exhibit will run through September 17 at the Art Council’s Gallery 86 in Waynesville.
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South by Southwest: Exhibits at Crimson Laurel Gallery
Beginning September 3, Crimson Laurel Gallery in Bakersville is featuring South by Southwest: Collaborative Pottery, an exhibition of pottery by Jason Bohnert and Mark Knott, two unique and talented potters who share a passion for form and surface decoration. The gallery’s showcase exhibition this month is Shawn Ireland—Pots & Paintings. In addition, there will be an online exhibition titled Ceramics by Dan Anderson.
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Soda Chicks and Chet
Five nationally known potters will gather together over Labor Day weekend for the ninth annual “Soda Chicks and Chet” pottery sale. The event will be held at Fork Mountain Pottery, 1782 Fork Mountain Road in Bakersville. Three local potters—Gay Smith and Suze Lindsay (the “Chicks”) and Kent McLaughlin (“Chet”)—will this year host guest artists David Stuempfle from Seagrove, North Carolina, and McKenzie Smith from Dade City, Florida.
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f32 Photography: Asheville Cityscapes
While I’ve never considered myself a city girl, I am drawn to downtown Asheville. Early weekend mornings downtown are quiet and the streets mostly deserted. I love the architecture of our city’s buildings, and a bonus is that they don’t move which makes it pretty easy to capture a sharp images. I try to make these images more interesting by capturing the changing weather and skies at different seasons.
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310 ART Gallery Hosts New Interactive Exhibit
Local artist Julie Robinson is featured in Play with Perception, an interactive art exhibit running through October 6 at 310 ART Gallery, 310 Riverview Station North in the River Arts District. There will be an opening reception from 5–7 P.M. on Saturday, September 10.
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Paint and Chocolate: Works by Genie Maples at French Broad Chocolate Lounge
A solo exhibition of paintings by Asheville artist Genie Maples will be on display from September 15 through October 15 at the French Broad Chocolate Lounge in downtown Asheville. There will be an artist’s reception from 6–8 p.m. on September 15.
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Asheville Symphony Orchestra: Labor Day Concert in the Park & More
The Asheville Symphony Orchestra (ASO) and Pack Square Park Conservancy will present a free concert in Pack Square Park at 7 p.m. on Monday September 5.
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WNC Jazz Society Hosts Hot Gypsy Jazz September 10
Diana Wortham Theatre will be bouncing with the sounds of Gypsy Jazz when guitarist Greg Ruby and his band perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 10. The concert is part of Jazz Series 2011 sponsored by Western North Carolina Jazz Society.
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Shangri-La at Magnetic Theatre
The “adult” comedy Shangri-La, Magnetic Theatre’s lastest world premiere, opens September 16, after preview performances September 14–15. The play, by Lucia Del Vecchio (author of the theatre’s recent hit The Family Tree), is a moving and simultaneously hilarious look at the lives of senior citizens living in a Florida trailer park.
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Asheville Community Theatre Presents Guys and Dolls
The popular musical Guys and Dollstakes the stage at Asheville Community Theatre September 23 through October 9. With an all-star cast directed by Jerry Crouch and with musical direction by Lenora Thom, this Broadway classic is replete with such favorites as “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” and “Luck Be a Lady.”
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DWT Offers A New Season of Comedy, Drama and Dance
For the 2011–2012 season, Diana Wortham Theatre will present a wide range of top touring artists in music, theater, dance, comedy, and other performing arts.
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Asheville Ballet: Diverse Themes, One Performance
The most unlikely of themes to be combined into one performance, Moonshine and Winnie the Poohare the featured works in Asheville Ballet’s season opener, Friday and Saturday, September 30 and October 1, at 7:30 P.M.
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Sparky and Rhonda Rucker Perform at Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse
James “Sparky” Rucker and his wife Rhonda have performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, and the International Storytelling Center, as well as on National Public Radio’s “On Point.” They will be in concert at Asheville’s Mountain Spirit Coffeehouse at 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 11.
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Come Enjoy Some Old-fashioned Fun at the 2011 Mountain State Fair
Cotton candy and funnel cakes, dizzying rides and farm critters, plus all-day concerts highlight the 2011 Mountain State Fair September 9–18 at the Western North Carolina Agriculture Center. Farm Fresh Fun is the theme of this year’s fair that brings together the people, art, and agriculture of the mountain region.
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West Asheville Garden Stroll 2011
The culture of sustainability is becoming increasingly deeply rooted in West Asheville’s urban landscape. All kinds of gardens are proliferating here—traditional and permaculture, individual and communal, floral, agricultural, and even medicinal —and will be showcased in the Third Annual West Asheville Garden Stroll (WAGS) from 10:30–4 p.m. on September 10.
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Annual Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival
One doesn’t go to the Lexington Avenue Arts & Fun Festival (LAAFF), one experiences it. What began as a small block party ten years ago has mushroomed into one of the region’s largest independent street festivals, expanding to two days this year: 11–11 p.m. on Saturday, September 3, and 11–9 p.m. on Sunday, September 4.
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Art in Autumn: A Weaverville Tradition is September 17
Weaverville’s Art coincides once again with the autumn shades of orange and red. One of the premier juried art festivals in the Southeast, this is the event’s fi fth year. It will take place from 10–5 P.M. on Saturday, September 17, on Main Street in downtown Weaverville.
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Salisbury: 36th Annual Home Tour Offers a Trip Through History
Founded in 1755, Salisbury was a lively frontier town that has a colorful past filled with stories of some of America’s famous historical figures. Daniel Boone started his wilderness journey from Salisbury in 1769. Andrew Jackson studied law in the town and was admitted to the bar there in 1787. George Washington stayed in Salisbury on his famous southern tour in 1791.
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Kayakers to Visit Blackbeard Island in October
If you’re up for a weekend of adventure, join Headwaters Outfitters as they spend October 3–6 exploring Sapelo and Blackbeard islands off the coast of Georgia. Guests will stay at the historic R.J. Reynolds Mansion, located near one of the oldest lighthouses on the East Coast.
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Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair Offers Fun for All
The annual Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair brings together animals, artists, and fi ber enthusiasts on October 21–23 at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center’s McGough Arena. The three-day event features demonstrations on knitting, spinning, and weaving, and an extensive fi ber arts market with more than 200 vendors selling handspun crafts and apparel.
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Jonas Gerard to Hold Fund-raiser for Caring for Children
Caring for Children and Jonas Gerard Fine Art are hosting a fundraising event to benefit the youth of North Carolina from 5:30–8 p.m. on Thursday, September 15. Everyone is invited to come and support this amazing charity and experience art coming to life.
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WNC Villainous Viper Bike Ride to Benefit Children
On Saturday, September 10, the Asheville Breakfast Rotary will host the WNC Villainous Viper, a charity bicycle ride to benefit the programs of Child Abuse Prevention Services. This challenging race features a 100- mile ride and a metric 60-mile ride.
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All Things Apple at 65th Annual Hendersonville Festival
Now in its 65th year, the Annual North Carolina Apple Festival September 2–5 celebrates Hendersonville’s apple heritage with the theme “65 Years and Still Growing.” This four-day street festival held during Labor Day weekend has plenty of activities and fun and is a great way to end the summer. Throughout the weekend, enjoy free entertainment, exhibits, the King Apple Parade, and plenty of apples.
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Food & Entertainment to Highlight Feasting for FEAST
A mouthwatering dining experience awaits those who attend Slow Food Asheville’s Feasting for FEAST on September 22 from 6–9 p.m. at the Venue. Nearly a dozen of Asheville’s finest restaurants will be participating in this fund-raising event hosted by Asheville Affiliates.
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NC Arboretum Celebrates Heritage Crafts Day September 24
Heritage Crafts Day at the North Carolina Arboretum celebrates the handcrafting traditions of the Southern Appalachians. The event will run from 11–4 P.M. on September 24. Now in its sixth year, Heritage Crafts Day features artists and crafters whose work refl ects the heritage of Western North Carolina and the close relationship between the crafts and plants used in their production.
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LEAF: A Treasured Tradition
The biannual Lake Eden Arts Festival (LEAF), held on the campus of Camp Rockmont in Black Mountain October 20–23, offers a weekend of amazing talent from around the world.
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Mountain Heritage Day at WCU Set for September 24
Mountain Heritage Day, Western Carolina University’s 37th annual festival of traditional Southern Appalachian culture, is set for September 24 on the WCU campus from 10–5 p.m. The event features a juried arts and crafts show, a children’s activity area, three stages of our region’s finest traditional music and dance, Cherokee stickball and other games, demonstrations of authentic mountain crafts, shape-note singing, fun competitions, and plenty of good food.
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Seventh Avenue District Hosts Second Organic Market
In conjunction with Hendersonville’s Apple Festival, the Seventh Avenue District will host its 2nd annual Organic Market September 4 from 11–4 p.m. Visitors will find a variety of local, natural, and organic products for sale on Market Street in front of the old Train Depot.
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Transylvania County Celebrates 150th Birthday
One day, three celebrations, and plenty of fun—all in downtown Brevard on September 3. On that date will be Transylvania County’s 150th Birthday Celebration, the Transylvania Heritage Museum’s third annual Founders Day, and the popular Farm Fair.
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Local Volunteers Prepare to Celebrate Peace Corps’ 50th Anniversary
Fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order creating the U.S. Peace Corps to help “promote world peace and friendship.” Around the nation, former volunteers are commemorating this half-century milestone and their commitment to international service in developing nations around the world.
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Annual Heritage Weekend Celebrating Southern Appalachian Culture
The 31st Annual Heritage Weekend will be held September 17–18 at the Blue Ridge Parkway’s Folk Art Center. This popular festival is sponsored by the Southern Highland Craft Guild and features traditional music, dancing, and heritage craft demonstrations.
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10th Organicfest Set for September 10 at Pack Square Park
In 1992, the Organic Trade Association started Organic Harvest Month to promote organic food and agriculture through regional and local events. Ten years ago, Asheville’s Imagine Center, started Organicfest that has grown to be one of the nation’s largest regional organic festival.
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French Broad Fall Festival
The French Broad Fall Festival, September 24–25 at the Hot Springs Campground, will be packed with local music, craft brew, and great scenery.
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WNC Down Syndrome Alliance Hosts Buddy Walk
As autumn a tradition as football and apples, the 2011 Buddy Walk for the Western North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance (WNCDSA) will take place from 11–2 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, at Fletcher Community Park, located at 85 Howard Gap Road in Fletcher. Everyone is invited to join in the fun of this important fund-raising event.
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Carolina Mountains Literary Festival
More than 30 authors and hundreds of book lovers are expected to visit the Carolina Mountains Literary Festival September 9–10 in Burnsville. This year’s featured authors are Ron Rash and Audrey Niffenegger.
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International Day of Peace Set for September 21
Several groups, including Peacetown Asheville, Local 099 of Veterans for Peace, and Mountain Area Interfaith Forum, are organizing the local celebration of International Day of Peace from 4:30–7:30 P.M. on September 21 by the famous Magnolia tree near Pack Square Park. The purpose is to encourage a one-day cease-fire from all conflicts locally and globally.
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Raise Your Hand for WNCAP
Show your support for the Western North Carolina AIDS Project (WNCAP) by attending the annual Raise Your Hand Benefit Auction at the Doubletree Hotel on September 24. Local artist Constance Vlahoulis has created an inspiring piece for the event titled “Hope Rising” that represents this year’s theme—Works of Heart. Through this event, guests can celebrate how research and new medicine have spread hope for those suffering with HIV/AIDS.
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Asheville Art Museum: Top 5 Events for September
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Fitzgerald Weekend at The Grove Park Inn
F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940) was the image-maker of the Jazz Age, setting the tone, fashion, and style of this American era. In 1935 and 1936, Fitzgerald stayed often at The Grove Park Inn to rest and relax while his wife Zelda was being treated in a nearby hospital. In honor of this great literary icon, each year The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa salutes Fitzgerald, his accomplishments, and his association with the Inn near the anniversary of his birth in September.
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