This Valentine’s Day, you could treat your beau to a box of chocolates or a dozen roses. But if you want to celebrate V-Day the Asheville way, we suggest buying a thimble-sized blackbird, an itsy painting, or some other compact creation for your sweetie at American Folk Art & Framing instead. A fixture of Biltmore Avenue, American Folk Art will present its 20th Annual Miniatures Show on Wednesday, Feb. 7. According to a press statement, the exhibition is dedicated to “small works of art that have big stories to tell.” Western North Carolina artist Liz Sullivan, for instance, will present a series of wee canvases filled with buzzing bees and blooming buds. Gallery-goers can also expect new work from the likes of self-taught Alabama sculptor James A. “Buddy” Snipes, Georgia potter Wayne Hewell, and Kentucky woodcarver Twyla Money. “The beauty of this long-standing tradition for the artists of American Folk is their awareness of it year-round,” the gallery notes. “If a scrap of wood, a bit of paper, or [a] scoop of clay remains, it can spark an idea and find its way to this event.”
20th Annual Miniatures Show: February 7-28; Opening Reception: Friday, Feb. 9, 5-8pm
American Folk Art & Framing / 64 Biltmore Ave., Asheville