Thank you to Our 2023 Gala Diamond Sponsors—The Phoenix Retreat

Many thanks to our 2023 Gala Diamond Sponsors, The Phoenix Retreat! We deeply appreciate their commitment to the Museum and to keeping the arts in Western North Carolina vibrant. Because of their support, we can share the transformative power of art with our regional community and beyond.

The Phoenix Retreat was founded by Museum Director’s Forum Member and Gala committee member, Marsha Ralls in 2018 on the knowledge that a safe, supportive, and sacred space can serve as the catalyst for an empowering and fulfilling personal transformation.

The Phoenix Retreat, nestled in the serene Blue Ridge Mountains, offers a sanctuary for leaders, entrepreneurs, and busy individuals seeking to unplug and recharge. This immersive retreat provides a holistic experience, addressing the foundations of lasting wellness. Surrounded by 46 acres of picturesque forests, walking trails, and secluded benches, guests can indulge in moments of personal reflection amidst the natural beauty.

Within the retreat center's expansive oasis, you'll find a tranquil Zen Garden, a purpose-built yoga studio, and luxury sleeping accommodations. The Phoenix Retreat fosters a deep connection to the arts through its Artists in Residence program, encouraging creative exploration and the pursuit of new ideas. In addition, The Phoenix Retreat opened its own art gallery in October 2022, providing a platform to showcase inspiring artworks for their retreat guests. The Phoenix Retreat is dedicated to eco-friendly practices and sustainability, demonstrating a deep respect for and preservation of the natural environment that surrounds it.

Begin your personal journey towards balanced living at The Phoenix Asheville. Escape from the hectic pace of the world and discover a sacred haven that nurtures your mind, body, and spirit. With the guidance of compassionate experts in fitness, rehabilitation, and mindfulness, complemented by the healing wonders of nature, The Phoenix Retreat provides a transformative experience that fosters lasting change and growth. For further details about the Phoenix Asheville Retreat, kindly click HERE.

Limited Hours Saturday, June 17 before 2023 Gala: The Diamond Anniversary

Limited Hours • Saturday, June 17 • 11am–1pm
2023 Gala • 6–9pm • Cocktail Reception, Seated Dinner, and Live Auction

The Museum will be open limited hours from 11am–1pm on June 17 before the 2023 Annual Benefit Gala.

You are invited to join us for our diamond anniversary celebration! This commemorative affair will lay the foundation for the Museum’s future while honoring our institution’s rich, 75-year history.

The cocktail reception features live music, hors d’oeuvres, specialty cocktails, raffle, and auction preview. This is followed by an elegant sit-down dinner with exquisite fare and a live auction offering incredible artworks and innovative experiences.

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Opening June 16—The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation

Public Opening • Friday, June 16 • Explore Asheville Exhibition Hall, Level 3

Food is culture. Whether farm-raised or factory-made, traveling from kitchen to mouth, what one eats is often a means of understanding time, place, and people. The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation brings together works from some of the most preeminent postwar and contemporary artists who used food as their subject matter. This exhibition explores the many identities of food in daily life: whether a source of pleasure, a reason for gathering, a mass-produced commodity, or a reflection of social ideologies and divisions.

Food is culture. Whether farm-raised or factory-made, traveling from kitchen to mouth, what one eats is often a means of understanding time, place, and people. The Art of Food: From the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation brings together works from some of the most preeminent postwar and contemporary artists who used food as their subject matter. This exhibition explores the many identities of food in daily life: whether a source of pleasure, a reason for gathering, a mass-produced commodity, or a reflection of social ideologies and divisions.

Jordan Schnitzer, Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation Director remarks, “We are excited to partner with the Asheville Art Museum to present The Art of Food exhibition! This is a fantastic opportunity to view art that explores the universal theme of food through the eyes of some of the world's most important contemporary artists. Truly a feast for the eyes and mind!”

The Art of Food, a traveling exhibition, is organized by the University of Arizona Museum of Art and the Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation.

View All Exhibitions

Select Summer Art Camp Spots Still Available—Register Your Student Today

Week 1, PM Session • Week 2, PM Session • Week 5, AM & PM Session

Grades K–2 • Grades 3–5 • Grades 9–12

Join us at the Museum for Summer Art Camp! Offered to rising K–12 grade students, all classes are age appropriate. Enrollment is limited, and pre-registration is required. Registration includes Museum admission and all materials necessary for each class.

Paper Possibilities

Grades K–2 • Week 1 • June 19–23 • PM Session • 1–4pm

Explore the endless possibilities of creating with paper. This class includes 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works of art. Paint, cut, tear, draw, glue and assemble a variety of artwork including collage, sculpture, and mixed-media

Register

Weaving

Grades 3–5 • Week 2 • June 26–30 • PM Session • 1–4pm

Students have an opportunity to explore the endless possibilities of weaving. We will use yarn, beads, found materials and recycled fabrics to create fun and interesting color and texture combinations for individual woven pieces.

Register

Printmaking

Grades 9–12 • Week 5 • July 24–28 • AM Session • 9am–Noon

Students will have the opportunity to try a range of printmaking tools, materials, methods and techniques including relief, monoprinting and stenciling to create one-of-a-kind pieces.

Register

Art Brut

Grades 9–12 • Week 5 • July 24–28 • PM Session • 1–4pm

 

This session will focus on street art, outsider art, and art brut. Students will explore multiple techniques including collage, painting and drawing to develop unique imagery and personal style.

Register

Yoga Returns on the Rooftop—Register  for Four Sessions of Creative Flow

Four Saturday Sessions • June 22–July 15 • Sculpture Terrace, Level 4

$15 for Members; $25 for nonmembers; 10% discount for all four sessions

In collaboration with West Asheville Yoga join us at the Museum’s rooftop terrace for a unique Creative Flow experience that combines the beauty of art with the power of mindful movement.

All-levels are welcome. Please bring your own mat. Loose-fitting clothing is recommended. In the event of inclement weather, it will be held inside at the Museum’s Atrium. Register now

About the Instructors

Krista Hagman (she/her) has been dedicated to the yoga practice for over 15 years. She has assisted multiple teacher training programs and continues her study of the body through complementary modalities such as Thai Massage, Body-Mind-Centering, Continuum, Contact Improv, Sound Healing, and Plant Medicine. Over the years, Krista has taught yoga in a variety of settings—from studios and assisted living centers to festivals, addiction recovery centers, youth camps, and at-home online. Come join Krista on the mat and experience the transformative power of yoga for yourself!

Kim Drye (she/her) is a highly experienced and skilled yoga instructor with a passion for promoting alignment, therapeutic healing, and restorative practices. She is the proud owner of West Asheville Yoga, where she leads classes and fosters a welcoming environment. Kim’s teaching style revolves around themed slow flows, incorporating detailed technique and alignment breakdowns to enhance her students’ understanding.

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Thursday Night Live with Thom Nyugen

Thursday, June 22 • 6–8pm • Windgate Foundation Atrium, Level 1

Free for Members or included with Museum admission

Thom Nguyen is an Asheville-based improvisor and drummer. Producing energetic bursts and invoking a sensitivity to space that one often associates with Free-Jazz and New Music percussion, Nguyen’s approach elegantly bridges works of sonic sculpture with a punk aesthetic of immediacy, of aggression and playfulness.

On select Thursdays, local musicians enliven our spaces with music to complement your visit. As you stroll the galleries, a variety of tunes adds new dimensions to your viewing experience.

Engage in an Adult Studio of Painterly Printmaking with Ani Volkan

Saturday, June 1 & Sunday, June 2 • Noon–3pm

$90 for two days, Museum Members receive 10% discount; Two equity seats offered at $25 for BIPOC participants

During this weekend you will explore the techniques of pressure printing, additive & subtractive, and monotype vs monoprints. Learn more straightforward, direct, and inky ways to create prints to print by hand or with a press. Color layering, ghost images, and pressure printing, all allow for a more painterly approach to printmaking and are a great way to explore imagery in new, transformative ways.

Great for beginners and seasoned artists alike. The workshop includes a tour of the SECU Collection Hall to discuss creative concepts and become inspired by the works on view.

About the Instructor

Ani Volkan received her Master in Fine Arts in Printmaking and has taught with after-school arts programs, museums, universities, and non-profits. She helped open a community print shop in Kansas City called Print League KC and acted as their director from 2017–2019. She received a 2018–2019 Innovation Grant from ArtsKC to investigate better inclusivity in community spaces. Recently, Volkan received a NC Artist Support Grant to research Armenian folklore and fairytales in Los Angeles. She is the Treasurer of the Mid America Print Council executive board 2022–2024. Volkan resides in Asheville with the goal of bringing a bit of Print League KC to the Blue Ridge Mountains by opening another community print shop.

Register Now

Make a Difference! Donate to Our 75th Anniversary Annual Fund Drive

We've reached 65% of our Spring fundraising goal...Can we count on you to help us make it to $75,000???

 In honor of our 75th anniversary our goal is to raise $75,000 or more. Thanks to generous supporters, we’ve already raised nearly two-thirds of our fundraising goal. Can we count on your support to help us meet (or exceed) our target?

The Annual Fund provides vital support to our operations and programs, including summer camps, lectures, exhibitions, community days, and keeping our doors open to the public year-round.

Art inspires, enriches, and enlivens us; it gives hope for the future and reminds us of our shared humanity. We are grateful to the individuals, corporations, and foundations that support the Museum with generous Annual Fund donations. ?

No gift is too small; your support will make a meaningful impact in our region and beyond. Asheville Art Museum is a 501(c) nonprofit organization; contributions to the Annual Fund are fully tax deductible.??

Donate Now

Work of the Week

Red Black by Philip Guston

On view in the SECU Collection Hall • Level 3

Philip Guston began his career as a painter of the New York School, an experimental art group that drew inspiration from music and focused on the physical aspects of painting and abstracted forms. His long painting oeuvre spans different styles and subjects, including both abstract and representational forms. ?

Black/Red marks the transitional years where Guston moved toward defined shapes, which eventually evolved into his 1960s series of cartoon paintings. Here the broad strokes that sweep across the paper—in his iconic red, black, and blue hues—coalesce into strange forms, preceding his return to painting human figures.?