By Hannah Van Vlack
A new gallery brings a distinct art form to the River Arts District. On The Wing Gallery officially opened its doors in May and is now hosting its inaugural exhibition, UNION: a joining of unique artists and materials. It will feature the works of Sam Trophia, Shane Trophia, David Trophia and Deb Karash, and will run from Friday, August 16, to Monday, September 16. The opening reception for this exhibition will be August 16, from 5–8 p.m.
Untitled. Deb Karash, David Trophia, Sam Trophia and Shane Trophia, artists
On The Wing is a true family affair, owned by brothers Sam and David, and Sam’s husband Shane. It was founded after Sam sold his Key West Butterfly Conservatory in Florida, which he founded and owned for 20 years, and moved to Western North Carolina to focus on his art. Shane serves as the gallery manager, David and his partner Deb handle marketing, and both brothers have experience owning and running galleries. This, alongside the familial interest in entomology, makes On The Wing a perfect professional and creative collaboration for the four.
“I became interested in using butterflies and other insects as art in my early twenties,” says David, “when I moved to Key West to join my brother at his gallery. I’ve always had an affinity for nature and being able to work with the butterflies allowed me a great creative outlet.” David brought Deb, a jewelry artist, on to the creative side of On The Wing Gallery. “She and I have worked for many years on exhibitions and various projects, so we are used to working closely together creatively,” he says.
The shared affinity for insects and close family ties create a unique dynamic, as well as mission, for On The Wing. “The gallery focuses on butterflies, birds and insects with the goal of elevating entomology as an art form,” Deb says. “The gallery also features jewelry and ceramics by other artists working in the intersection of art and nature.”
The exhibition’s name, UNION, alludes to its immensely collaborative works. The idea began when Deb painted a stick bug and David paired it with pinned butterflies from their immense collection. “The unique combination inspired us to plan this exhibition,” David says. “Since our business is relatively new to the four of us, each creative in our own way, we decided that a collaborative first exhibition would be a new and fun experience.”
On The Wing Gallery is located at 20 Artful Way in the River Arts District, Asheville. For more information, call 828.702.4639 or visit OnTheWingAvl.com. Find the gallery on Instagram @onthewingavl. Hannah Van Vlack is a senior at Western Carolina University studying Writing and Editing in Professional Environments and Music.
