ArtPlay, in the River Arts District, will host Gallery Night on Thursday, July 20, from 5:30–7:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and will feature ArtPlay’s member artists, one of whom will do a live painting that will be auctioned off at the end of the evening. Twenty percent of proceeds from the auctioned piece as well as from additional art sales during the evening will benefit local youth arts enrichment programming. Light bites and wine will be offered along with a chance to watch demos and talk to artists about their work.
“People really do love meeting the artists and getting to know them a bit,” says Kristen Edge, founder and co-owner of ArtPlay, a gallery and community gathering space for creativity. “They are curious about the behind-the-scenes stuff, or where artists find their inspirations and what their artistic process is like.” In addition, she says, artists enjoy the chance to connect with one another and with guests. “Sometimes art events can feel a little formal, but these events are relaxed, welcoming and playful,” Edge says. “The vibe in the space feels fun and uplifting, which is what I love the most.”
ArtPlay’s last Gallery Night was held in April and Casi Fordham remembers it feeling “like a party where the main topic was art.” A self-taught watercolor artist, Fordham enjoys the message behind ArtPlay, which is that everyone can be creative. “So many people are missing a creative outlet,” she says. “I have a five-year-old, and we paint together all the time. When people ask if I’m trying to raise an artist, I always say, ‘not really; I’m trying to give him just another tool to get through life.’”
Elizabeth Porritt Carrington considers herself “a community artist as much as a studio artist.” Along with Edge, she recently facilitated an exhibition of work by artists ages 16 to 19 years old. “It was a fantastic show and a wonderful community event,” Porritt Carrington says. “It’s also, of course, delightful to have my own work represented there. Kristen has done a lovely job of adapting the space into a welcoming gallery and working studio.” On Gallery Night, Porritt Carrington will demonstrate creating an immersive wildflower meadow. “Though I’m usually working on canvas, I’ll show how this can be on paper and adaptable as a design quality to lots of other surfaces.”
Edge worked as a studio teacher with children years ago and during the recent Youth Arts Exhibition for teens became aware of the need to support the development of young artists. “But, also, we very much believe that creative expression and art-making are foundationally important for healthy development early in life so we would like to be able to support children in arts enrichment through our events,” she says.
Artists participating in Gallery Night are Bridget Benton, Carrington, Robin Daugherty, Fordham, Katie Gebely, Michelle Hamilton, Liz Hosier, Amanda McLenon, Beth Mullins, Virginia Shepley and Liberty Hanson Wild.
ArtPlay is located at 372 Depot Street, Suite 44, in Asheville’s River Arts District. Gallery/studio hours are Monday and Thursday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Sunday 12–5 p.m.; closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Learn more at ArtPlay-Studio.com.
