Daniel Essig, artist
The Toe River Arts Council will host its annual Holiday Studio Tour Friday, November 30, through Sunday, December 2, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. On Friday, after the studios have closed, visitors are invited back to the Spruce Pine Toe River Arts Gallery for the traditional reception to meet the artists. Refreshments will be served, artists will be present and visitors have the chance to plan their routes for the next two days of open studios.
More than 100 artists in 63 studios in and around Bakersville, Burnsville, Celo, Penland and Spruce Pine will be participating this year. Some of the many mediums included on the tour are glass, wood, textiles, jewelry, clay and baskets.
Bridget VanRemortel has lived in the area for 12 years and has toured herself, but this will be her first time presenting her own work—baskets made from native materials such as grapevine and wisteria and from rattan. Her work will be exhibited at Guerard Studios in Bakersville. “It is like going to many galleries in the same day,” she says, “and a lot of people do their Christmas shopping on the tour.”
This will also be textile artist Peg Gignoux’s first time participating in the tour. Though based in Carrboro, she has long- time ties to the Penland community. “I enjoy dyeing and printing silk, cotton and linen,” she says. “I machine and hand stitch my surfaces and will be offering a series of textile collages, big bags, silk scarves and journals. Design inspirations come from children’s drawings and observations from the natural world.”
The Toe River Arts Council Spruce Pine Gallery is located at 269 Oak Avenue in Spruce Pine. Visit ToeRiverArts.org, or call 828.682.7215, for updates about where to stay and eat in the area and for the online guide listing all of the participating artists and galleries.
