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It’s about place. It’s about the destination. It’s about the art we find when we arrive.
Roan Mountain range marking the northern point, its windswept, forested paths crossing over the Appalachian Trail to the ridge. Mt. Mitchell marking the south, the highest point this side of the Mississippi River with centuries of awe-inspiring views. Meandering between and predating these 400 million plus-year old peaks is the Toe River, one of the oldest rivers in the world. And along that river, along its many tributaries, live the artists who chose to make this place their homes, to value the land on which they create, to protect the waterways that flow beside.
The Toe River Arts Council host two community wide exhibitions, “Toe River Valley ,†which will run through September 23, 2017. These concordant shows showcases interpretive photography by Doug Sudduth and paintings from Blue Ridge Fine Arts Guild artists, documenting life along the river in pencil, paint and camera—a watershed of arctic blues and greens, rusts, clouds of snow along the banks—seemingly endless, ever moving, meandering, cutting through the land like a warm knife through butter. Noted geologist Alex Glover speaks at both galleries (time and date to be announced). Kids can paint rocks as they learn about the fragility of our ecosystem. A special feature is Hellbender Rocky who will slither out of the mud to watch a drones-eye-view of the Valley during a reception on September 22.
The Toe River is what makes our community so precious, so necessary to preserve. This exhibition highlights the river, the creeks and valleys, a tangible appreciation for and the guardianship of our watershed by highlighting the art of its artists.
Reception in Burnsville is scheduled for Friday, September 22 from 5 to 7pm.
Image by Susan Garriques