Art in Asheville, NC

Asheville, North Carolina is fast becoming known as one of the hottest cities in the United States for established professional artists and new, up-and-coming artists working in every medium imaginable. Situated in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Asheville boasts one of the vibrant creative communities in the South East United States and the world. The quaint downtown area is filled with galleries, museums and boutiques filled with the arts and crafts of the eclectic local creative community. A walking tour of the beautiful Art Deco style architecture and rich artistic history leaves one feeling refreshed and inspired by the many wonders of the human artistic mind.

The newly revitalized River Arts District on the French Broad River has an incredible concentration of studios and galleries. Artistically crafted homes dot the landscape and neighborhoods designed around progressive, green building theories thrive on all sides of the area. Cafés and pubs, including a craft brewery have popped up in the River Arts District of Asheville, making this a destination for travelers and tourists looking to find cutting edge artistic flavor. A mixture of artistic sensibilities prevail, combining the graffiti covered urban landscape of the old parts of the district with the new, eclectic art community.

Asheville’s neighboring towns such as Black Mountain and Weaverville add to the strength of this area, supporting even more artists and crafters of every kind. Studio strolls and art walks are a regular fixture of the creative events and the artisans tend to be open, welcoming and friendly in these little mountain towns. The area of Appalachia where Asheville is situated has a long and famous history for folk art and craft, boasting some of the finest schools in the country for such pursuits.

Making the top ten lists for places to visit in a number of different polls, Asheville has exploded with exciting potential and new energy. Artists flock to Asheville from other creative Meccas in the US to enjoy the warm and friendly feel of the southern hospitality combined with the progressive, creative spirit that has pervaded Asheville for much of its history. Established artists are transplanting themselves as well, bringing the benefit of experience, knowledge and variety of work to an area that is ripe with artistic energy and potential.

If one is looking for a place to find the very best new talent in any given field of art, whether it be visual arts or performing arts, one need look no further than Asheville, North Carolina. Art collectors and dealers should take note of this amazing little art community. There is no doubt that Asheville, NC will be home to some of the finest and most successful artists working in the world today. Supporting the many talented artists and musicians making their mark on the world from this town is a good investment.

Asheville is known for many types of artwork, music and dance. Influences from all over the world form a beautiful fabric. The artists in Asheville are weaving together the modern art of Abstract Expressionists such as Asheville based artist Jarrett Leone, and classical styles of visual and performing arts such as the Asheville Symphony. Galleries such as the Courtyard Gallery in the River District are taking on cutting edge multimedia projects of every stripe and bringing together years of experience with fresh new ideas.

Action Painting

Action Painting is a form of Abstract Expressionism painting that involves the very physical use of the artist’s body in the application, manipulation and control of the paint. Painting in the style of the Action Painters is extremely fun and enjoyable for artists that have a lot of physical energy and enjoying experimenting with new and creative techniques for applying oil paint, acrylic paint or any other type of paint to canvas, solid supports, found objects or other surfaces such as glass, plastic, old doors, and plexiglass.

Jackson Pollock is the most famous Action Painter, and many people think of his style as the textbook example of Action Painting. Many artists today are continuing on where Jackson Pollock left off, trying new and wonderful techniques that involve a wide variety of tools and materials in the creative process. The theories and ideas expressed by Jackson Pollock have continued to inspire and move many artists to experiment and explore art in new ways. The old paradigm of traditional studio techniques has been toppled by the need for the artist to break away and try new ways of achieving artistic freedom. The fact that the highest price ever paid for a painting is a Jackson Pollock Action Painting shows that the public understands and appreciates this transition to a form of spontaneous and pure creative expression.

For many Action Painters, music has become an important part of the process, taking the idea of Action Painting and turning it into a dance with paint and canvas. The music will often have an effect on the way that the finished piece turns out by inspiring the artist to use certain emotional colors, execute certain movements and apply the paint in new and different ways. Some artist have even become performers, engaging in the act of Action Painting live at a concert or recital, backed by live music in front of a large crowd. This allows the artist to truly become part of a living, organic, multi-media experience of creativity.

Action Painting can be a highly therapeutic and cathartic experience, taking the Abstract Expressionist artist to places in his or her mind and spirit that are not always accessible through other forms of creative expression. The idea of Action Painting is to experience a transformation of emotion and thought, and express the feeling directly to the viewer without the hindrance of the analytical, left-brained mind.  The Action Painting artist often comes away with a feeling release and emotional satisfaction at the physical interaction between artist and artwork.

Action Painting can be done in any medium, but acrylics lend themselves well because of easy cleanup. Action Painters will often end up getting paint everywhere, and acrylic paint washes up with soap and water. Oil paints will produce a brilliant color palette, but care must be taken to protect the artist and the work area. The nature of Action Painting requires the artist to work in close proximity to the canvas, often getting paint on the artist in the process. Oil paint also requires a well-ventilated work area to protect the artist from harmful fumes and vapors.

Many painters are picking up where Jackson Pollock left off, such as Jarrett Leone, an Abstract Expressionist from Asheville, NC. Leone’s paintings are the obvious evolution of this style and are a prime example of the spirit of this kind of work.