Asheville's River Arts District Touched My Heart
I'm turning on paid subscriptions to raise funds
In September, I had scheduled a post about our June 2023 trip to the Asheville, North Carolina River Arts District. After Hurricane Helene ravaged the town, I pulled it and posted a piece with photos I took during our visit compared to photos from the devastation. In the aftermath, I donated to BeLoved Asheville, but I want to do more for the art community.
This Thursday will be my first anniversary of writing on Substack.
Substack is free, whether you write, receive emails, read on the website or on the app. The site only gets paid only when writers add an option for payment. Substack deserves to be paid. It’s a great community building platform for both readers and writers. Plus there’s no advertising.
All my posts will remain free, but I’m introducing a paid option for those who wish to support my writing. For the next six months, I’ll be donating the proceeds—minus Substack’s 10% fee—to the River Arts District Artists (RADA). This incredible community of artists deeply inspired me with their creativity and dedication, and I want to give back in a meaningful way to help sustain and celebrate their work.
Below was our June 3rd, 2023 visit to Asheville’s River Arts District.
Asheville, NC Day 3, Part 2 ~ After our Hole Doughnut stop on the morning of our third day, we spent the afternoon of our third day in Asheville exploring the River Arts District. Nestled along the banks of the French Broad River, it’s a haven for artists and art enthusiasts alike.
This eclectic neighborhood was once a collection of abandoned warehouses. Now its a thriving hub of artistic expression where visitors can witness the creative process firsthand and engage with local artists in their studios. One artist told us there were 650 artists working in the district.
Trackside Studios (below), built in the early 1900s, was originally a meat packing plant. Now it houses working studios and gallery space for 60 artists.
We browsed, chatted with the artists, and purchased art for our home.
One of the most interesting pieces of art I saw at Trackside was an interactive piece from a photographer. Two photographs were taken; a Mennonite choir and a father and daughter listening to them. The artist observes a Mennonite girl glancing over to the girl with her father and asks, “What Happens Next?”
I bought my favorite ballcap that says, “Live Life Artfully” from Hofman Studios. Artist Michael Hofman offered us scrumptious lemon shortbread cookies that he baked himself. He even emailed us the recipe!
On the day we arrived in Asheville, the North Carolina Glass Center was closed.
Not only was it open during our afternoon visit, but it was LGBTQ Community Day celebrating Pride. Members of the community had signed up months ago for free classes…
but while we were there, someone called to cancel so I snagged a spot in the Hot Shop…SCORE!!
First, Dan gave me a safety briefing, then we got going by dipping the punty (metal pole) into a vat of liquid glass. Once on the punty, the glass needs to be shaped, then color added.
It’s hotter than hell, especially when you have to put the punty with liquid glass on the end of it into the glory hole, or reheating furnace. Temperatures can range as high as 2400 degrees Fahrenheit.
I love the Netflix reality show Blown Away so being in the hot shop was a bucket list check. I can see how it could become an obsession.
Dan made me tap the punty to separate the glass. THAT was nerve wracking. Then he put the paperweight in the annealer or kiln to cool it gradually so it wouldn’t crack.
I picked up my paperweight the next day after 3 PM.
News reports say that Hurricane Helene destroyed 80% of the River Arts District.
The Trackside Studios website displays photos of the devastation and the clean up efforts of the artists.
The gallery reopened with a holiday market the first two weekends of December. Classes are even being scheduled, but they still have a lot of work to do.
The creative spirit of Asheville’s River Arts District touched my heart which is why I want to support them.
If you’d prefer to support the community directly, please visit RADA, the GoFundMe for Trackside Studios, ArtsAVL for Western North Carolina artists, or for the wider Asheville community, BeLoved Asheville.