Business Galleries

Blue Spiral 1 Fine Art + Craft

Michael Manes

Blue Spiral 1 has been an Asheville staple since New Year’s Eve of 1990, when the clock struck midnight and the gallery began its long history in the town. John Cram, owner and founder of BS1, hired Michael Manes as the gallery’s assistant director in 2011. “When I started working for John, I was impressed by his entrepreneurship and dedication to the arts in Asheville,” says Manes. “It was through him that I was drawn to gallery work, sales and management: the business side of art.”

Before moving to Asheville, Manes was a preparator for the Columbus Museum of Art and worked in the exhibitions department at Akron Art Museum and Cleveland Museum of Art. He was appointed director of Blue Spiral 1 in May of 2017. “We feel that we have ‘art for all,’” he says. “There is at least one artist we represent that you can relate to, no matter your personal aesthetic.”

Blue Spiral 1 is located at 38 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville, next door to the Fine Arts Theatre. To learn more, visit bluespiral1.com, call the gallery at 828.251.0202 or follow @bluespiral1 on Facebook and Instagram.

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