Participant Spotlight: Crazy Green Studios

Crazy Green Studios is home to Pottery by Lori Theriault, and is one of the newest businesses to open in the Art Walk collective. In addition to some fine studio pottery of her own, Lori will be hosting West Asheville potters Jennifer Hoolihan and Catherine Shane. For the Art Walk festivities, they'll have functional and decorative pottery, gift certificates available for pottery and for classes/open studio membership (read more about that below), and some tasty refreshments!

'om' platter, Lori Theriault

Lori Theriault: I'm a studio potter who also offers an open studio membership in my studio for new and aspiring potter-types. My background in pottery includes four plus years of classes at a teaching studio in Washington DC (Hinckley Pottery), multiple demonstration and hands on workshops and a two-year Residency at the Odyssey Center for Ceramic Arts in Asheville. My work is functional, high-fired stoneware and is available direct from my studio and in several retail and gallery locations throughout North Carolina and Georgia. My work reflects my influences from Asian art and pottery, but also refects my own interest in texture. The textures can be tactile or visual, obvious or those that are discovered only by spending time with a piece, and more importantly, by using a piece. In addition to my own studio work, commission orders are available for bridal registries, fireplace tiles and logo-branded functional and decorative ware for all sorts of business needs.

'swirly cups', Lori Theriault

I'm so happy to be a part of this growing and eclectic West Asheville neighborhood, and I'm very happy to offer open studio access to new and aspiring potters. With membership, you can come to the studio anytime during open hours and have use of the facility, including tools, clay, glazes and firings. And if you need some help getting started, you'll get instruction too! I'll have information and gift certificates available at the Art Walk for membership, private lessons and of course the actual pottery. Whether it be by my hand or yours, you can give the gift of hand made this year!

holiday ornament, Lori Theriault

Crazy Green Studios is happy and proud to host two talented West Asheville potters for the East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk! Here's a little about them:

R-L: teapot, creamer & sugar bowl, Jennifer Hoolihan

Jennifer Hoolihan:
As a potter residing in the east west Asheville hood, Jennifer Hoolihan is proud to be a guest artist at Crazy Green Studios. She mainly produces functional dinnerware and loves how handmade dishes bring vitality to the table. Knowing that people are using her pots on a daily basis is an important part of her motivation. "I love it that my mugs are bouncing around in many cars and trucks in Asheville and beyond. I sometimes wish I could see a snapshot of where they are now." In addition to being a potter, Jennifer is also the Ceramic Technician at Highwater Clays. An avid gardner, cook and poultry enthusiast, she has taught pottery classes at AB Tech and Odyssey Center for the Ceramic Arts.

wall boxes, Shane

Catherine 'Shane' Shane: Shane is a gardener who loves to get her hands dirty. She's been working in clay for over 10 years. Her inspiration comes from her love for animals and nature. Shane's most recent wall boxes began as a way to display all those pretty seed heads and honey combs she finds in the garden.

Participant Spotlight: Pleasant Hugh Studio

Pleasant Hugh Studio is Simone Wilson, and who better to tell you about her...than herself!

Artist Statement:
I am a self-taught painter, assemblage sculptor, and gardener; I grew up in Georgia. I have unequivocally and absolutely been a scavenger and collector all of my life. As a child, it was nature’s objects that struck my fancy such as rocks, driftwood, dried up bird’s eggs and seed pods, bits of shell and bone. But, also hoarded away were pieces of colored glass, marbles, keys, and pennies flattened on a railroad track. All of these treasures were brought out often and arranged and rearranged for my own visual pleasure and then put back in their brown paper bags and cigar boxes which were also carefully arranged on a shelf in my parent’s basement. As a young adult my obsessive scavenging included larger “treasures” like broken furniture, old roof tin, architectural pieces, and other found objects.

My three-dimensional works consists of these found objects. Nothing that is potentially useful is left behind. Even recycled bolts, screws, nails, and bailing wire are used in each hand-built piece. I often use an assemblage process which yields figurative and rather anatomic works. Through this process each piece becomes a representation of someone I know, or a caricature of a personality that has struck me in some way.

I am also a painter and often combine my painted works with my sculpture, using the assembled works as a backdrop for the paintings. I take inspiration from the Southern rural landscape, the people and creatures I have known or seen, and childhood memories of growing up in the South. Therefore it seems appropriate to place my paintings amongst the objects and materials that I have salvaged throughout the Southeast, these remnants of the past. In a sense, many of my assemblage works are collaborations between myself and others I never knew but through the creative process I feel a connection to and a deep appreciation for them, their craftsmanship, hard work, and the contributions and sacrifices they made.

When painting, I also often find myself drawn to the domestic animal and vegetable world when choosing my subjects. It’s a complicated world we live in, but when I look into the eyes of one of these canine, bovine, feline, or equine friends I find solace. I also find comfort in digging in the soil, and making plants grow, and tending them. There is simplicity, wisdom, tenderness, and very often humor there that cannot be found anywhere else.

As our ever-changing, fast paced society replaces old with new, I find magic on some level by resurrecting small parts of the past and making them new through artistic expression. I am continually in awe of and inspired by the people in my life and the furry and feathered creatures and the fruits of this good earth. I want the viewer to see and maybe remember something and smile.

“My works and images are simple and true-no dissection necessary. There’s not much dialogue there…………..or maybe there is.”

Participant Spotlight: A Touch of Glass

Established over 30 years ago, A Touch of Glass is truly the grand-daddy of businesses in the East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk, and indeed in the entire neighborhood. Owner Gary Newlin has seen the ebb and flow of Asheville development from his vantage point on Haywood Road, and the work from Touch of Glass can be seen where ever you find original stain glass and other glass work design.

Among the many offerings at the shop at 421 Haywood Road: Stained Glass Supplies, Repairs, Glass Blowing, Glass Beads & Marbles, Etching-Trophies-Awards, Commissioned Glasswork, Commercial-Residential-Ecclesiastical and Classes.

Workshops have ranged from kiln-forming (fusing, casting), glass blowing, bead/marble making and lampworking. Gary Newlin always hosts a great event, and workshop participants rave about the shop and its owner. Advice from one participant: "If you go by, look in all the corners and dark places in the building. Gary has so many nice glass pieces tucked away all over the place."

Participant Spotlight: BookWorks

Asheville BookWorks is a community resource for print and book arts in Western NC and beyond.

BookWorks offers a full spectrum of classes and workshops covering all aspects of book arts. Instructors are drawn mainly from the immensely talented and growing book arts community here in western North Carolina, many of whom are nationally and internationally recognized.

BookWorks has become a gathering place for individuals with an interest in handmade books, printmaking, letterpress and related arts, through our exhibits, lectures and community outreach.

We are pleased to provide space and equipment for artistic exploration, collaboration and sharing of knowledge.

If want to keep up with what's going on at BookWorks, check out their newsletter, and then subscribe so you get the news first!

In addition to the upcoming Holiday Art Walk, BookWorks has another special event planned for this very weekend:

Interlude Editions will debut the first Cold Mountain Collection on Saturday evening, November 22, from 7-9 pm, at a celebration at Asheville BookWorks. Starting this year, and annually hereafter, Interlude Editions will publish and offer for sale an edition of a fine-press, handcrafted artist’s book, in three different formats: Deluxe, Collector, and Chapbook. Proceeds of the sale of the Collection will benefit Interlude Editions, which funds residencies at Asheville BookWorks for artists wishing to create limited editions of artists’ books and fine arts prints for education, exhibition, and distribution. You can read more about this in the full article.

Participant Spotlight: Custom Boutique

Custom Boutique is the labor of love of sisters Michelle and Tammy Goñi. They started Custom for three reasons:

1 - they wanted to create a place that would serve as an interesting and fun platform to get women involved in helping other women...which has led to several fund raisers and plans for more

2 - they wanted to have a shop where "women could actually come and buy something." One of their main goals is to be very cute and affordable. They believe there is something empowering about how a new outfit can make you feel, and it's no good walking into a shop and loving something but not being able to afford it.

3 - a very important reason for anyone to go into their business: they both love fashion!


Their fundraisers have also been 'fun' raising as well. Last July their clothing swap netted $700 and had two trucks of clothing left for a women & children's shelter. A recent cocktail party with silent auction raised around $1200 for the All My Sisters Fund (created by ABCCM).

The next fundraiser will be the annual clothing swap, on March 2. Go early, and if you see something you like, you'd better hang on to it!

Michelle and Tammy will have special promotions and beverages at the Art Walk, and they're currently working on some live music ... stay tuned!

Participant Spotlight: Mimi Strang Design

Mimi Strang Design is located in the Domino Lane Studios, cleverly hidden in plain sight behind Harvest Records on...you guessed it...Domino Lane (see the map for the exact location). Here's about Mimi from Mimi herself: "My studio has been located in the red building behind Harvest Records since 2004. It has been awhile since I've had the opportunity to focus on being a full time studio artist, but this fall, I have been enjoying a period between employment, to do exactly that."


"Well, I've been in my studio a lot, but the experience has not been exactly "focused". My work has felt all over the place, the studio is in disarray - parts and pieces and ideas covering all working surfaces."


"It's been great! I am primarily working in wood and fabric - quilting, decoupaging, screwing and tacking. My new work includes wall hangings - of course, floor standing sculpture, greeting cards and small objects."


"Stop in during the East West Asheville Holiday Art Walk. In addition to me, I will be hosting Simone Wilson and Leslie Fay."

Participant Spotlight: runny bunny

runny bunny is Robin VanValkenburgh, and she works full time as a studio artist in her studio/gallery at 520 Haywood Road, where all great small creatures roam.

She works in wood, clay, drawing and painting. If you click the image above, you can see her current work - here are a few tastes:



Robin also keeps current with her blog, aptly named Robin VanValkenburgh as Runny Bunny
where she shares new work and works that appeal and intrigue her!

Participant Spotlight: The Blue Ribbon

Another great recent addition to Haywood Road just off 240, The Blue Ribbon celebrated their grand opening on September 13, 2008 and has been one of the coolest places to be since.



The stats on The Blue Ribbon:
506 HAYWOOD ROAD WEST ASHEVILLE 251-4288

*Walk-ins welcome!! -....option to call in and reserve a time slot

***PRICES***
-short 20 bucks
-long 26 bucks
-buzz 12 bucks
-beard 5 bucks
-shampoo 3 bucks
-blowdry/style 10 and up
-color 45 and up (consultation)
-wax 12

**ride your bike, get 10% off!!**

HOURS:
Monday-closed
Tuesday- 10-8
Wednesday 10-8
Thursday 10-8
Friday 10-8
Saturday 10-8
Sunday 11-7


**ENJOY A COLD, COMPLIMENTARY PABST WHILE YOU WAIT

**GOOD TUNES

**LAID BACK ENVIRONMENT

**JOE GROOMING, KMS, AND GOLDWELL PRODUCTS

Participant Spotlight: Ship to Shore

Ship to Shore is an independent design label created by r. brooke priddy, designer & dressmaker. All dresses are made by hand by brooke at Ship to Shore Shop in Asheville, North Carolina. Custom work is available by appointment only on location at

Ship to Shore
426 Haywood Road
Asheville, NC 28806