Beautiful Sorrow. Amy Noack, artist
Through May 10, The Gallery at Flat Rock presents a special exhibition titled Duality in Nature, with works by area artists exploring aspects of the natural world. An opening reception will be held on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, from 4–6 p.m. Additional events on Earth Day include a poetry reading by Flat Rock poet Karen Luke Jackson and a presentation by Jenn Tutor, director of development of Conserving Carolina, about the organization’s response to Hurricane Helene’s damage to natural areas and ways in which WNC residents can be involved in recovery efforts.
“The theme of Earth Day 2025, ‘Our Power, Our Planet,’ strikes a chord for us here in Western North Carolina,” says Amy Noack, who will present acrylic mixed media works during the exhibition. “Mother Nature threw us a curve ball last fall. While we were powerless against her, we found our power in community. With each new day, we continue the cleanup, the rebuilding. We see beauty through the rubble and have awakened to share more of who we are and to be grateful for each other and this amazingly beautiful place we call home.”
A painting that will be part of the show is Beautiful Sorrow, the second painting that Noack completed after Hurricane Helene. “It has a story to tell not only in its message, but because it suffered a small injury/tear (repaired) which I decided must have happened to signify the force of the storm,” she says. “I’ve had no other painting before or after get a tear. While it’s not visible to the viewer from the front, its repair can be seen on the other side. I think as we collectively continue to repair, many of us feel just like that. We may look okay, but what we’ve all been through can be seen on the other side.”
Photographs by Monica Stevenson will also be part of the exhibit. “My work and Nature are inextricably linked,” she says. “It is the place from which I get my most powerful inspiration. I would bet there are not many folks who do not find Nature compelling. I think visitors will appreciate the grand variety of all the artists’ interpretations.”
Other participating artists include Gary Cooley, Hunter Jay, AnnMarie LeBlanc, Dale McEntire, Valerie Schnaufer, Kate Thayer and Cynthia Wilson.
Julie Wilmot, owner of The Gallery at Flat Rock and Art on 7th, says it was important to bring back the popular Earth Day celebration in Flat Rock. “In light of Hurricane Helene and its impact on everything in our region, continuing to focus on the gifts we receive from our natural world and the value it holds is critically important,” she says.
Also in April, join Art on 7th for its monthly Friday Wine Down & Dine on April 18 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The event includes wine, live music and art, with featured artist Cynthia Decker giving an artist talk and presentation titled Imaginary Realism. “I think of my images as a calculated combination of the familiar and the impossible,” Decker says of her digital art. “I want to create visual stories, scenes that are open to interpretation and places that invite people in and let them complete the narrative for themselves.” After the opening portion of
Friday Wine Down & Dine, the duo Marley’s Chain will move from the gallery across the street to continue performing at Claywood. Reservations are strongly encouraged for those wishing to secure dinner seating.
Learn more at GalleryFlatRock.com and Arton7th.com. Reservations for Claywood are available at ClaywoodNC.com.
