Instagram-Propelled Illustrator Sometimes Decelerates to Analog Collage
Illustrator, collage artist, and graphic designer Holden Mesk landed his first big commercial contract in 2017, for Divvy Up! Socks, while completing his last…
Uncompromising Great-Grandmother is Still Raising the “Real”Art Scene
In 1991, artist Connie Bostic opened Zone one, downtown Asheville’s first contemporary art gallery. For about a decade, the space was a vital creative…
Chair Maker Doesn’t Take the “Life as Art” Idea Sitting Down
“Art isn’t just the stuff we make,” declares Pedro Esqueda. “It’s our whole life.” He’s proof positive of that, as his work expands into…
Renowned Blacksmith Has Forged a New Idea of the Feminine
Elizabeth Brim got her MFA in printmaking from the University of Georgia, but she found her fame in hot steel. Since the ’90s, Brim…
She and Paint are Back Into a Manipulative Relationship
“Panic sets in when you go out on your own and you’ve got to figure out your artistic voice,” says multimedia artist Michelle D….
Designer Slows Fashion Down to the Speed of Rust
Gigi Reneé is the owner of the clothing boutique Vintage Moon Modern in downtown Asheville, and a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild….
Making a Soapbox Can be Slippery Work
Sculptor Mac Star McCusker teaches at Odyssey Clayworks and around the Southeast. In 2016, the artist began using sculpture, installations, and narrative vessels to…
Traditional Music Ambassador Can’t Quit Changing His Tune
David Holt does a few different things. The prolific musician (he can play 15 instruments), singer, storyteller, historian, and long-time host of Folkways on…
Designer Nails a Fierce Look Out of a Folksy Concept
Kree Croga is an in-house designer for Royal Peasantry, a local fashion house/retail shop selling upcycled apparel and accessories. He likes history and he’s…
Family-Influenced Woodworker Thinks Outside the Keepsake Box
When Valerie Berlage was a child, the older generation strongly influenced her creativity, and in real time. That’s why she named her woodworking enterprise Lauraine…