Flex space. Art Place Studios
The Art League of Henderson County has opened Art Place Studios, the new home for 23 studio artists in a variety of media including oil, acrylic, mixed media, watercolor, clay, encaustic, wood, metal, glass and fiber. There is also a large workshop and event space as well as a warehouse-style studio for messier art forms like welding, encaustic and ceramics. Art Place Studios is the largest facility of its kind in the area and this new space complements the nearby Art Place Gallery. “The fact that visitors can come to Art Place and see an exhibit and stroll next door and see artists at work will give locals and visitors more reason to come to our campus,” says Art League president Diane Dean. “We hope to utilize all the space in both buildings as much as possible and are looking for other ways that the community can get involved to make this a thriving community art center.”
The Art League rented each studio space on a first-come, first-serve basis. “We knew the work of most of the artists and felt that any of our members regardless of the stage they might be in their art career should have an equal opportunity to have a studio,” says Dean. “We were so fortunate to get a fabulous variety of mediums and techniques.”
Isabelle Klauder, a contemporary artist and figure painter, has been looking for a studio space since she graduated from UNC Asheville with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2014. “I signed up for waiting lists, sent numerous inquiries and never heard back,” she says. She discovered Art Place Studios listed on Craigslist and Dean gave her a tour. “Her visions for this space were abundantly clear and exactly what I was looking for: a working studio space where I can showcase my work, invite the public in, host private viewings, take classes, teach workshops and foster a special community with local artists,” says Klauder. “I’m thrilled to have found the Art League; their encouragement and support has been astounding.”
Art Place Studios is located at 2015 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville. Art Place Gallery is next door at 2021 Asheville Highway. For more information about classes, exhibitions and workshops, visit ArtLeagueHVL.org.
