Local is the New Black .. Friday

One of the many things I am thankful for this Thanksgiving Season is to live in a community that has a vibrant local economy and with people who support that.  And I think it's catching on ... yesterday at dinner, with the Saints/Cowboys game in the background (Geaux Saints!), I was surprised and delighted to see a promotion for Small Business Saturday at least twice during the game!

On this 'Black Friday' you'll find me at Echo Gallery at Biltmore Park, which is an artist-run gallery showing the works of Asheville area artists.  Today I'll be there in my "Shop Local" best, and in the good company of many other fine locally-grown businesses.  I have to say that even the larger chain stores that are located in Biltmore Park are very community oriented and involved in many events and programs that benefit the Asheville area, so if you come down 26 and get off at the Long Shoals exit, you have a win-win in many areas - here's just a taste of what we've got and who else you'll find:

At Echo Gallery:  We've got our holiday lights out, a beautiful wreath on the door (courtesy of local artist Tonia Allen - you can get her info inside the gallery if you want to order one) and the windows filled with ornaments made by local artists - ceramic, glass and gourds, and we plan to keep adding to them!

Inside we also feature incredible gift options, and we'll be happy to help you find that perfect gift for friend, family, co-worker, teacher.  Ceramics from cups, mugs and bowls to large service ware to tiles and whimsical sculptures. Textiles including beautiful wall quilts and gorgeous silk scarves in an array of hand-dyed and painted colors. Bold metal sculptures to adorn a large entry way or accent a dining room table with candles.  Pencil drawings, paintings and encaustics in all sizes and styles to please the seasoned or beginning collector.  Button flowers, Beetles-a-go-go, prints for the bike enthusiast and Monsters ... we've got monsters!!  And if you're not too late, you might still find some of the limited edition 'Wizard Monsters' for the wizards in your life.  And we'll be adding more artists and more incredible work throughout the month, so stop by often! For a full list of artists currently represented at Echo Gallery, visit our webpage and scroll down to the bottom of the home page.

And while you're at Biltmore Park, be sure to visit these other fabulous Asheville-grown neighbors (big pardon if I forget anyone!) ...

For cool fashion and accessories, try Moda Boutique, Bette and Shades of Green.

For treating yourself or others with incredible organic products, soothing facials, massages or just to take a mani/pedi break in your shopping day, try Sensibilities Day Spa or Sparrow Spa.

For the new holiday 'do', try Natural Impressions Salon.

For custom make-up consultation or make-over, try Lavender Fields.

For beautiful jewelry for a special gift or 'that' special gift ... Marthaler Jewelers.

For lush bedding and other home accessories, try The Natural Home.

For holiday flowers and arrangements for your home or to send ... Blossoms at Biltmore Park.

Want a cool place to take the kids or maybe to plan a special event?  Check out Dino Kinetics.

Need to print off the 'end-of-the-year' newsletter, mail that big stack of cards (print that big stack of cards?) or help shipping to various corners?  Visit Printville.

For anything from holiday family portraits to event photography, try Melissa Markis Studio.

And we have many others - Asheville grown of a regional parent and independently owned franchises:

O.P. Taylor's, Talloni Shoe Salon, Bon Bebe, Woof Gang Bakery, REI ...

And you won't starve!  Brixx Pizza, 131 Main, Travinia Italian Kitchen, Roux in the Hilton, Hickory Tavern and PF Changs are in the Park!

I know I must have forgotten somebody (my apologies - add yourself in the comments!), but I should get ready to head down to the gallery - come by and say hi!

So much to do in the neighborhood(s) this weekend!

We're in that time of year in Asheville when there's always something happening, and this weekend is a perfect example!

My apologies in advance for what I'll inevitably leave out - feel free to comment and add your event to the list - here's a sampling of what's happening ... you'll find me at some and wishing I could go to others:

You'll find me tomorrow at the Rocket Club for the 2nd Saturday Artist Market.  This month we've got a couple of new artists and for the first hour or so you'll also find live music at the door!  We'll also be collecting as usual for MANNA FoodBank - check out the Market Blog for details.  And I think I've mentioned that you can get the best bloody mary in town here.

Those who follow me on Facebook may also know that I'm having a little 'Lori needs a new car' sale at this month's Market.  Yes, my faithful volvo, George Bailey, has gone to the great volvo farm where he can run free.  You'll meet his heir, Harvey George, in a future post.  For now, you'll find deals on all sorts of pretty potteries as I try to create a budget from which I may fund Harvey's addition to the family.  Come by and check out the premium gifties available with certain purchases!

Right down the street from the Rocket Club, the E-W-A's newest member, 444 Gallery Cafe, will celebrate their Grand Opening.  In addition to the great deli sandwich menu, featuring house-roasted meats, breads from West End Bakery, coffee from Dynamite Roasting in Black Mountain and wicked good cake from Short Street Cakes, they also offer the work of more local artists on an ongoing basis.  And, word has it that a certain musician who will play in front of the Rocket Club may also play at the cafe.  You'll just have to come see to find out!  444 Gallery Cafe is also having drawings all day for great prizes - food, coffee, gift certificates toward the purchase of some of the art and more!!

Backing up a bit, on Friday, you would have found me at Echo Gallery at Biltmore Park, where the show "Threads" closes this weekend. Some of the guest artist work has already been taken down, but you've still got time to see fabulous work by Jen Swearington and Libby & Jim Mijanovich.  And mark your calendars because next Friday Echo Gallery will open a new show featuring and celebrating the work of member artists Genie Maples, Barbara Fisher, Susan Finer, and Cindy Walton.  It's called 'Paint'. :)

If you don't want to wait to see new work by Genie and Barbara, then head down to the River Arts District for Studio Stroll - everybody's been working hard, making new pretties and cleaning up their spaces.  You'll find demonstrations, performances and some mighty fine hand crafted work in just about every medium imaginable!  Not playing favorites, but Echo Members Genie Maples, Barbara Fisher, Laurie McCarriar, Anna Koloseike and Dawn Dalto all have studios in the RDA.  As well, you'll find current and former guest artists Heather Tinnaro, Alex Stevens and Barbara Zaretksy in their respective studios and/or galleries too!

Now if you're bugging out of town to avoid the heat, you should head up to the Toe River Studio Tour - follow the link and go for me, I'll be basking in the warmth of east-west-asheville artist love but I'm already making plans for the fall Tour!

So that's a lot to do and I've only mentioned a few possibilities - there's also a great event tonight at Harvest Records, then over the weekend you'll also find Art in the Park, the Downtown Market ... and more to be sure.  Don't let the heat slow you down - you know you can refresh yourself greatly if you find your way to the EWA - cool bevvies, great sammies for the body and an array of beautiful hand crafted goodness for the soul (and the wall, the shelf, the cabinet, the arm, the ears....).

Echo Gallery Grand Opening this Friday!

This Friday, 6-9pm. Food & drink from Roux, new work from all core artists plus some new guest artists. Come and see us!

Fridays at Echo Gallery

If you've been following along, you know I've recently joined and helped open a new coop gallery in South Asheville: Echo Gallery at Biltmore Park. While we're open for business (2-8 Thu - Sat, 1-6 Sun and by appt), we're still putting things together, adding more work, adding new members, planning guest artists, etc. Biltmore Park, where we're located, will be throwing us a Grand Opening party on October 23 (more on that later!).

Friday is my day in the gallery, and while I have a quiet moment before the dinner crowd comes by, I thought I'd toss out a quick intro of my gallery-mates. If you haven't made it by yet, of course I'd love to see you when I'm there (come by for a rare chance to see me out of my clay-covered clothes!), but any time you come, you'll be greeted by a member artist, so come on by!

Genie Maples is a painter and has her studio in the River District:

works by Genie Maples, and admirers of the same, in her studio

Genie, working in her studio

Barbara Fisher also paints, and also has her studio in the River District:

one of Barbara's newer works

Barbara Fisher, at it...

Laurie McCarriar is an art photographer, who just got back from Ireland, by the way!

Laurie may have the nicest 'studio' of us all!

perhaps not Ireland - you'll have to check her site to see when she posts those pictures!

Susan Webb Lee is a textile artist who makes amazing quilts:

Susan, with her work

'No Direction Home'

Anna Koloseike is a ceramic sculptor who ALSO has a studio in the River District!

Anna

'Sleeping Stones'

And then of course there's me...

in my happy place...

part of the 'trees' series - hopefully some

decent pictures will be taken of the new work soon!

September Open Studio Schedule and other cool events...

Ahhhhhhhhh....today I could FEEL the fall in the air, and it felt GREAT! Cool, just a bit breezy, leaves starting to take flight. It is my favorite season!

Here's the September open studio schedule, as always, subject to change! A bit about some of the highlighted dates:

Friday, September 4: that's First Friday! Get out and see some galleries or studio openings, have a little nosh, meet some artists and gaze upon and when ever possible fondle some very nice work. Crazy Green Studios closes early to encourage all studio members to do just this, and with any luck I'll do it too!

We're closed over Labor Day weekend - not so much for the holiday, although I hope all studio members have wonderful weekends, fire up the grill for the beginning of the cool-weather cookouts, hit the beach while the water's still warm ... have a little 'you' time. I'll be in the glaze studio, painting trees and letting brushes dance over a kiln load of pots destined for bridal registries, fine eating establishments and a new gallery, with just a little left over for show stock.

Saturday, September 12: 2nd Saturday Artist Market! This month the Market will be rockin' with many returning and many new vendors, and we expect extra buzz in East West Asheville as it's also the day of the West Asheville Garden Stroll. And we're just a little biased, but we think the hottest stop on the Garden Stroll will be Christopher's Garden, just across the end of Domino Lane, and featuring additional 2nd Saturday Artist Market artists vending in the garden along with Christopher Mello!

Sunday, September 13: OrganicFest! This will be the the fourth year that Crazy Green Studios will have a booth at this wonderful downtown festival celebrating all things organic, healthy, sustainable and local. We are very proud to be the unofficial potters of the OrganicFest!

Friday, September 18: ok, here's the first peep on the blog about the long-awaited new gallery! Echo Gallery at Biltmore Park will have a 'soft' opening, inviting friends and family (that's you!) to come check out our new Co-op gallery on Main Street in Biltmore Park. We're still hanging, painting, organizing and generally walking around going 'can you believe this is really happening?!', and some of us are trying hard not to think too much about all the work going into this one kiln next weekend that will of course come out gorgeous for the gallery. I won't way which one(s) of us who are trying hard not to think about this, I'm just saying...

Friday, September 25: this may change, but as a member of the coop gallery, I'll be working shifts at the gallery, and based on the studio traffic between Thursday - Sunday, when we'll initially be open, Friday is the best day for me to take a shift. It may not be every Friday, but I wanted to keep that one open.

So there you have it dear readers - a bit of the fun and excitement in store at and around Crazy Green Studios - hope to see you at one of this month's events!