Fresh, Opening May 24

In 2012, New York City artist Alana Fitzgerald was displaced by the gale-force winds and driving rains of Hurricane Sandy. Not sure where to go next, she loaded up a small camper and headed south with her dog. The two landed on 25 acres located between Barnardsville and Burnsville. Today, Fitzgerald paints bright, bold scenes inspired by “the forces of nature and what happens when they collide with humanity.” As she explains, “My work comes from a place of wanting safety and happiness for the children and all people, even if it comes out looking like chaos.” Earlier this spring, Fitzgerald submitted her abstract paintings for inclusion in Fresh, a juried show hosted by the Madison County Arts Council (MCAC). “This is the second year the MCAC has hosted a show of new work, and it is always exciting to see what comes into the gallery,” Katie Graham, an artist and MCAC board member, shared in a press statement. Last year’s lineup included such makers as Jan Swanson, an Asheville native who works out of the renovated Capitola Mill in Marshall. “My inspiration truly comes from everyday life — peeling paint, shadows, animals — and what I dream up in my head,” says Swanson.