Fuji. Lino Tagliapietra, artist
Bender Gallery will celebrate its reopening at 29 Biltmore Avenue on Friday, August 3, from 5–8 p.m. in conjunction with downtown Asheville’s First Friday Art Walk. Artist Eric Hilton, whose The Magic of Nature is one of three featured exhibitions at the gallery’s new space as part of the Summer of Glass celebration, will attend the opening. A grand opening reception for the gallery will be held at a later date.
“Miles and I have been searching for a larger space for years and when 29 Biltmore Avenue became available on the strip we refer to as ‘Gallery Row,’ we snapped it up instantly,” says co-owner and curator Bernadette Bender. “With more than double the exhibition space, we are able to display even more museum quality glass sculpture by internationally recognized artists who are among today’s most relevant and important artists of our time.”
The contemporary fine art and sculpture gallery, formerly located on Lexington Avenue, has specialized in glass art for 14 years. The gallery also features abstract and figurative paintings, mixed media and ceramic works. Besides The Magic of Nature, the two other exhibitions are The Maestro, Venetian glass sculptures by noted international glass blower Lino Tagliapietra, and the Mary Van Cline Fundraiser for the Documenta Project, an installation of pate de verre sculpture and photographic prints by glass pioneer Mary Van Cline.
Hilton is an award-winning Scottish American artist who creates intricately cut and engraved glass sculpture inspired by nature. His work is among the collections of the Corning Museum of Glass and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. “We are excited to exhibit and support the careers of additional emerging artists as well as expanding our roster of artists working mediums other than glass,” says Bender.
To learn more, visit bendergallery.com, call 828.505.8341 or email bernadette@bendergallery.com.
