It's always a good time to check out the latest works of art being created, celebrated, discussed, and exhibited at UNC Asheville, but there's something about spring that makes us especially eager to explore the art around us. Here a few artistic opportunities at UNC Asheville you won't want to miss.
In March ceramics students and faculty celebrated the first firing of the Anagama kiln since Owen Hall's reopening in August of 2021. The wood-fired kiln must be tended to by hand constantly over the course of several days.
Pieces fired by students and faculty in the Anagama Kiln, as well as the Art Department's wood salt and gas soda kilns, are now on display in Ramsey Library, Blowers Gallery. Find out more about "Wood, Salt, Soda: The Inaugural Firing" here.
UNC Asheville students, faculty and staff joined BeLoved Asheville for an all-day workshop on the Quad on March 31 to build beautiful tables to be used in BeLoved's microvillage houses. Participants also made upcycled doormats inspired by Kolams and created printed tiles.
Internationally renowned portrait artist and UNC Asheville art alumnus Ben Betsalel returned to his alma mater to present not only an account of his life's work around the world, but his recent evacuation from Ukraine with his young children.
Betsalel has worked in a host of countries—Ethiopia, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Senegal and, until the Russian invasion, was working in the Ukraine—drawing, painting, and writing to provoke connection and deepen understanding.Â
Betsalel has explored the life and poetry of German Jewish poet Nelly Sachs, and has produced themed series of portrait happenings inside Colombian prisons in South America, with internally displaced people in Chad and the Central African Republic, and on rooftops in Gambia as the country transitions back to democracy from a 22-year dictatorship.
See more of Betsalel's work at his website.
You can see Betsalel's full presentation here:
On April 1, UNC Asheville's Student Government Association and the Association of Student Governments hosted a BIPOC Artshow, showcase the artwork of student artists from across the UNC System in Highsmith Union's Grotto.
Throughout the month of March we celebrated local art educators and mentors with an exhibition in Zageir Hall on campus.
The exhibit is the brainchild of Mark Sidelnick, professor of education and visual arts education license coordinator. “Student art is celebrated every year during March. For this exhibit, I decided to focus on the mentors of all these young artists and acknowledge the dedicated and creative teachers who share their knowledge and passion for art with their students every day in our schools.” He continues, “Some of the folks included are alumni of UNCA and our licensure program. Some of these teachers regularly host our licensure students for observations and student teaching, mentoring them to become art teachers, also!”
You can still view the virtual exhibition and learn more about the artists here.
Budding young artists from Asheville City Schools shared their works on campus with an exhibition in UNC Asheville's Sherrill Center, on view until April 18.
Ready to share your own artwork with the UNC Asheville community?
The UNC Asheville Department of Art & Art History invites current students, alumni, staff, faculty, and faculty emeriti of the Department to participate in THRIVE ! – an invitational exhibition of small works on paper. The public installation will be open for viewing from April 22 to August 1, 2022, in the hallway gallery next to the S. Tucker Cooke Gallery in Owen Hall. Past and present artists connected to the Department of Art & Art History are encouraged to mail in submissions for the exhibit by April 18.
“I wanted to express this idea that despite COVID, and despite our department’s relocation during renovation – art thrives here, it is the constant that cannot be disrupted,” says THRIVE ! curator Leisa Rundquist, professor of art history and curator of art collections at UNC Asheville.
“The show will coincide with our department’s spring art sale and the announcement of departmental scholarships on Friday, April 22. We saw this moment as a great time to invite our alumni and emeriti back to Owen Hall to celebrate in person and/or contribute to the exhibition.”
Find out more and how to submit here.
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