Regional makers gather for 78th Annual Craft Fair
Metalsmith Elizabeth Walton has made a living coaxing silver into shape. “Bending the wire with pliers and seeing it respond to the hammer blows kept me intrigued,” says Walton, who transforms sheets of metal into lightweight statement pieces with clean lines and intricate patterns. “Metalsmithing is an area of study I can spend my whole life working in and still not know it all. That excites me.” An Asheville native, Walton earned her BFA in metalsmithing and jewelry design from Appalachian State University before returning home to grow her studio practice. Her work is inspired by “systems and patterns of natural growth and architectural design,” blending delicate forms with structural integrity. “Hand-making every piece invites me to honor the time it takes to produce an object of meaning and value,” she adds. This fall, Walton joins more than 100 juried artists for the 78th Annual Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands, a four-day showcase of regional artistry inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville. Organized by the Southern Highland Craft Guild, one of the nation’s oldest craft collectives, the event features fine art, demonstrations, and opportunities to meet makers carrying on centuries-old Appalachian traditions. Admission is $12; children under 12 are free.
Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands: October 16-19, 10am-5pm
Harrah’s Cherokee Center / 67 Haywood St., Asheville / southernhighlandguild.org