Between Dreams and Reality, Opening March 26

Boots are made for walking. But they’re also made for looking. At least, that’s the premise of Between Dreams and Reality | Bespoke Footwear, the latest exhibit at Penland Gallery. Curated by award-winning shoemaker, artist, and educator Amara Hark-Weber, this group exhibition will feature 13 shoe- and bootmakers from across the country. According to a gallery statement, these high-concept cobblers are “working at the nexus of historical construction practices and sophisticated design sensibilities.” In other words, don’t expect to see any run-of-the-mill sneakers. “… These craftsmen are fully aware that the shoes and boots they make occupy a unique position in their clients’ dreamscapes,” Weber says. “These makers know that their work is far more than just to shoe their clients’ feet. Contemporary shoemakers satisfy something in us — something that cannot quite be named — by giving us something to walk on and in and through, something that elevates us to become the individuals we imagine ourselves to be.” This spring, Penland will also host multimedia sculptor Granite Calimpong and nonrepresentational painter Katherine Toler in being here. seeing things. Despite focusing on different mediums, both artists explore the “ideas of human perception and the emotional impact of color and material.” They invite viewers “to be present, aware, and curious” and “to discover through process and direct engagement.”