A Day of Artists, Good friends, Good food and nature. Can't get better than this!

Blue Ridge Mountains from JB and Dumonts's deck

Salmon and Rocket Salad

an artfully set table

JB and Dumonts industrial redesigned kitchen

Looking from the kitchen through to the deck and the Blue Ridge

Dumont, Martin, Barbara, JB, and Ann

Barbara being the photographer

Leicester Open Art Studio 

is not unlike many Open Studio's across the United States where artists open their own studio's for people to come view their work and buy from them directly.  The advantage for you is that you can usually buy artists work at a much cheaper price than in galleries where it is marked up as much as 50%!  It is a win-win relationship for artists and patrons, besides it is so much fun to see each studio and how an artist works. 

The only difference I know is that it 

might help to have a 4 wheel drive!  

The postmen in this area have subaru's!  Just teasing really, we had a two wheel drive and made it just fine. 

The Second artist on our list we went to see was another potter.  Her name is Denise Dvortze ....Driving in to the property we passed a little barn with Pablo and his goats.

This is Pablo the guard Llama

  Llama's make good guard dogs and he is very attentive to his goats and looks after the very well. Just that week one of the goats was very ill and he stood over her guarding while he spit on Denise and her husband who were trying to help. 

The pond with the water falls is man made, but looked very realistic.  

This is a man made pond just outside the patio

 The owner and her husband built the pond and waterfalls with help from a pond designer.  I wondered if the Koi could live through the winters here, and they said they could as long as the water is running and at least 4 Ft. deep.

The Koi live year round in the pond

As we went through
 the day we say many wonderful spots where artists built or designed their own studios.  They are so tucked away deep on the back roads in the mountains you would never know they were there.

There were two potters showing here.  The owners Denise and Ron had invited another potter by the name of Cat who was showing her work in the gazebo.  Below are examples of Cat's work.  Both potter had nice glazes.  Rachel had a beautiful glaze that she achieved at a lower firing while Cat's were fired at a much hotter temperature.  Both glazes were beautiful.

Kats glazes were really beautiful, the photo does not do them justice.

Whimsical Bird House

Pitcher, flower pot and jewelry

DID YOU SAY STUDIO TOUR!? WHAT FUN, LET'S GO!!!

LEICESTER 

There are so many artists in Western North Carolina if you throw a stick you are bound to hit one!  Of course we are teasing, but Asheville and the surrounding area is so full of craft artists that one could imagine it to be so. 

Wild Berry Bed and Breakfast 

Have you ever gone on a scavenger hunt?  Well, the Leicester Artists Tour is very much like one.  Wildberry Bed and Breakfast is one of the sponsors and the very first place we go on the tour. There you can get a map, see a preview of the artists works, and get a sense of the kind of roads we will encounter on this day. Loose steep gravel, and one way roads are very common on the back mountain tour.  It would help to have four wheel drive which we don't have, but our trusty Pilot Honda will make it just fine.  The Blue Ridge Mountains are beautiful and as we goes through the tour, it is evident that nature is as much the artist, as the artisans we are going to visit.  Tucked back in the hidden coves and high atop mountain ridges artists studios dot the area. It is a tremendous treat to get to see artist studio's anytime and see where creativity happens.  Each studio is as unique as the individuals who create there.  First on our list is Doc Welty, potter. Tomorrow we will look at more studio's on the tour.  

Doc Welty's Enchanting Mountain Pottery Studio

Glazing Shelves are loaded with a recent unloading

Doc has three kilns, 2 propane gas and one wood firing

The glazes have an old feel about them

Plenty of visitors buying

Recent Craft Magazine highlight of Doc

I love these two tables, a bargain for anyone!!!

From Doc's wheel he has a good view of the house, when his wife calls him in for lunch.

A Blue Ridge Sunset brought to you by Rabbit's Moon Studio

"Every thing or living being that exists in this world, be it trees, flowers, birds, grasses, rocks, soil of the earth, or human beings, has its unique manner of existence - its essence, its spirit that makes it what it is. That is what is meant by connectedness."
-- Larry P. Aitken, CHIPPEWA

Asheville and the Blue Ridge Mountains on a Misty Foggy Day

Blue Ridge Parkway 

This is not far from my mountain house and studio near Asheville.  The Blue Ridge Parkway runs along the ridge of the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains.  It was built by the WPA during the Depression with most of the tunnels and bridges built during that time remaining.

“Everything you can imagine is real.” 

― Pablo Picasso

Blue Ridge Mountains                                                                                     Unaltered Photograph/ Elizabeth Gordon

Asheville/Art, Cultue and Nature

ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA

TAKE A TOUR, CLICK ON THE ARROW ON THE PICTURE ABOVE.

This video from you tube shows Asheville as it is, a little gem in the Blue Ridge Mountains.  The blue haze is really blue.  This is also the town near where "The Hunger Games" was filmed, as well as, the Last of the Mohegan's with Daniel Day Lewis, was filmed.  Fine crafts abound in this city and region.  I thought this would give you a little taste of this area.

True Blue Art Store

Cafe, Wine Bar and Book Store!

Study in city lines and shadows

Tobacco Farm in the mountains near my studio

Fresh Eggs

Pumpkins are out, It's Fall1

Double Decker Bus Coffe House

Blue Spiral Gallery

Blue Spiral, Sculptor

Blue Spiral Gallery, Glass Artists

Gallery in Weaverville

As the Crow Flies...Artist from Weaverville

A Dog Friendly Town 

Civil Rights Mural

A Young Musicians First Outdoor Concert!

Asheville, North Carolina