British-American painter Julyan Davis has always felt he was born a little too late. “Since I was a kid,” he tells Asheville Made, “I have preferred the past to the present.” That much is evidenced by “American Ghosts,” a series of narrative paintings that explore the allegory of westward expansion between 1850 and 1950. “The story traces the ghosts of three imagined women, each personifying three key moments in American history: the Gold Rush, the Civil War, and the Dust Bowl,” Davis writes on his website. “As they cross both time and place, Belle, Betsy, and Nancy (along with the outliers that join their caravan) will come to see at last the ravaged land Herself.” A collection of these paintings is currently on display at Blue Spiral 1 on Biltmore Avenue as part of Artists of WNC, an exhibition of work by regional artists impacted by Hurricane Helene. According to Michael Manes, gallery director and co-owner, the storm changed “where we create and experience art,” destroying hundreds of artists’ homes and studio spaces. The single best way to support these creatives is by purchasing artwork. “Art has the power to heal, to remind us of our resilience, and to unite us,” says Manes, noting that for every purchase of locally-made artwork, a donation will be made to the Craft Emergency Relief Fund.
Artists of WNC: Through December 25
Blue Spiral 1 Fine Art + Craft / 38 Biltmore Ave., Asheville / bluespiral1.com