Helen Purdum, artist
Historic Grovewood Village will host its Open Studio Art Tours on the second Saturday of each month, beginning Saturday, May 13, and running through October. From noon to 5 p.m., the resident artists at Grovewood Village will open their studios to the public for free, self-guided tours. Grovewood’s eight studios are occupied by 10 local makers: Melissa Engler and Graeme Priddle, Tom Reardon and Kathleen Doyle, Brent Skidmore, Rick Eckerd, Lisa Gluckin, Helen Purdum, Carl Powell and Chris Abell.
Abell is the owner of The Abell Flute Company. “The entire property feels similar to a small Old World village for craft production,” he says of his studio at Grovewood Village. “The community of artists and staff at Grovewood matches its setting: friendly, helpful, professional artists sharing their work and ideas comfortably and respectfully.” Visit his studio during the Open Studio Art Tours to see how he produces musical instruments, specifically modern Boehm-system wooden flutes and wooden whistles.
Flute maker Chris Abell
Glass artist Carl Powell has been a resident artist at Grovewood Village for 23 years “because of its absolutely incredible setting on 11 acres of 100-plus-year-old stucco buildings,” he says. “It’s not uncommon for locals to be amazed that they had never known it was here.” Powell has been making glass art for 50 years and during the tours this summer he will be demonstrating a new direction for his sculptures, which are acid-etched, diamond-cut, painted and multilayered.
The artist studios are located in the same building as the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum, directly next door to Grovewood Gallery. Free parking is available on-site. If you have questions about this event, email info@grovewood.com or visit grovewood.com.
