Bi-Annual Grovewood Village Studio Tour

Over the last 75 years, the global whale-shark population has been cut in half by climate change, industrial fishing, and other threats. This biodiversity loss “haunts” Melissa Engler, an Asheville sculptor whose parents taught her from a young age to “love and respect the natural world and all the critters in it.” Heeding their lessons, Engler carves wooden homages to flora and fauna, both big and small. Her portfolio ranges from a spoon inspired by a Kirtland’s snake — an endangered serpent with rusty-red markings — to a bowl that looks convincingly like a map turtle. Of course, she has also carved a whale shark statuette from Pacific madrone wood. “Part of what I’m really enjoying about my current body of work is the research phase, where I’m studying pictures of these plants and animals, learning about them, and getting to know them,” says Engler. “For me, spending time memorizing the shape of their scales or paying attention to the pattern of their spots is a way of honoring them.” This fall, Engler invites guests to visit the studio she shares with her partner and fellow wood sculptor Graeme Priddle during the Bi-Annual Grovewood Village Studio Tour. The two-day event will include self-guided tours of artist workspaces, complimentary libations, and discounts on handcrafted goods.