Blue Star Gallery
By Kathleen O. Brown
After Hurricane Helene hit Western North Carolina in 2024, contemporary landscape artist Babette Reynolds created a collection of paintings called The Path Forward and donated a portion of sales proceeds from them to disaster recovery efforts. Reynolds and her husband David Newton then launched The Path Forward Foundation, a nonprofit that works to foster a vibrant and resilient Western North Carolina creative community by providing resources and support to artists, makers and small businesses, with a focus on overcoming hardship and building for the future.
Along with starting The Path Forward Foundation, Reynolds and Newton established Blue Star Gallery in West Asheville to provide a space for local artists whose studios and gallery spaces were affected by Hurricane Helene. On Saturday, April 18, Blue Star Gallery is hosting its grand opening celebration with the gallery open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A reception will be held from 5–7 p.m.
Babette Reynolds at Blue Star Gallery in West Asheville
“One of the things I love most about WNC is our profound sense of community,” Reynolds says. “Seeing everyone come together after Helene—neighbors helping neighbors and artists lifting each other up—has moved me deeply. Running a business and making art in Asheville, I felt a calling to help my fellow creatives find their footing again. Through The Path Forward Foundation, we are able to provide direct support to local artists and musicians impacted by the hurricane. At Blue Star Gallery, we are honored to serve as a stage for local WNC artists. By investing in the ‘creative soul’ of our mountains, we’re helping our makers move from recovery to a future where they can flourish once more.”
Blue Star Gallery represents WNC artists whose artwork ranges from traditional landscapes and fine crafts to contemporary paintings and sculptures. The words “Blue Star” in the gallery’s name honor the tradition of families displaying a blue star in their window to represent a loved one actively serving in the US military. While Blue Star Gallery celebrates a wide range of creative voices, Reynolds—a former military intelligence officer in the US Army—and Newton say they recognize and support the contributions of veterans, active-duty artists and military families through dedicated exhibits and partnerships.
At the grand opening, Reynolds will present an exhibition of her work, including new pieces from her Path Forward collection inspired by the Blue Ridge Mountains. She continues to donate a portion of sales proceeds from this collection to The Path Forward Foundation.
Blue Star Gallery represents “all that we love about West Asheville and WNC,” Newton says. “From the glorious sunrises and sunsets over the Blue Ridge Mountains that you can see from the front porch and back deck, to the close proximity to the River Arts District and what it means to all the artists who lost most if not everything during Helene, to the music we will be playing on the front porch that so represents the area, to the people who are so giving and the definition of what we believe community is. It truly has become our path forward in life as a couple and members of the community.’’
Located at 867 Haywood Road in Asheville, Blue Star Gallery is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with plans to expand those hours soon, and by appointment Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. For more information and updates, visit BlueStarGallery.com and Instagram @bluestargalleryavl.
