Lucky Charms: Charm Bracelets with Alena Applerose
2024-03-02 14:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York) | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Join Alena Applerose for a morning jewelry-making workshop. Our collection contains a charm for just about anything, so dig into our whimsical supplies and leave wearing your very own personalized charm bracelet. Or make a special gift for someone you love!
All materials & supplies provided.
Register here.
When: March 2, 2024, 2 pm – 5 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $35 per person

Will Eskridge: Desserted Deserts and Beach Bumz
2024-03-08 - 2024-04-13 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Like Fructose Encounters of the Third Kind, concepts of alien abduction, the afterlife, and childhood memories are all conjured in Desserted Deserts and Beach Bumz. These paintings of landscapes and offbeat animals including bats, opossums, and raccoons help bring solace to my new life without my father. He was a veterinarian with an affinity for the downtrodden, giving me my own impetus to celebrate the kicked-to-the-curb animals. To be sure, the motley crew of animals is juxtaposed with fun-loving late-night desserts hovering above the vast, color-stricken landscape.
Desserted Deserts is a celebration of the American desert, which my father took my family to see a handful of times. These works are a celebration of my father’s humor, those wonderful trips we took, and my own surreal sense of being a loner, as I navigate these new waters without him.
When: March 8 – April 13
Where: Owen Gallery

Reception for Will Eskridge: Desserted Deserts and Beach Bumz
2024-03-08 17:00 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
When: March 8, 2024, 5 PM – 7 PM
Where: Owen Gallery

Reception for Yancey County Student Showcase
2024-03-09 11:00 - 13:00 | Yancey County Public Library, 321 School Circle, Burnsville, 28714, United States
When: March 9, 2024, 11 AM – 1 PM
Where: Herring-Kivette Gallery

Second Tuesday Life Drawing – March
2024-03-12 17:30 - 19:30 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Bring your favorite drawing implements and surfaces or use the provided materials, and let’s spend an evening each month drawing together. We’ll alternate months between clothed live models and still life set-ups, engage in thoughtful discussion about technique, have some guest artists share their tips and tricks, and improve our observational drawing skills together. Come once or twice or every month!
Ages 16+ (guardian consent needed for those under 18)
Register here.
When: Second Tuesdays from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $10 per class (members), $12 per class (non-members)

Spring Baskets with Bridget VanRemortel
2024-03-23 10:00 - 15:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Join Bridget for a day of learning about traditional Appalachian basketry while weaving your very own market basket.
“I have always loved creating with my hands in one way or another. I love to create with color and make something that is functional and useful. I enjoy being able to make something that can be used every day and fill a need.” – Bridget VanRemortel
Register here.
When: March 23, 2024, 10 am – 3 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $65

17th Annual Blacksmith Exhibition
2024-03-30 - 2024-04-27 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Toe River Arts hosts its 17th Annual Blacksmith Exhibition featuring the work of blacksmiths from the southeast and beyond. Historically, the exhibition runs in conjunction with the Fire on the Mountain Blacksmith Festival which takes place on April 27th on Lower Street in Spruce Pine. The exhibition offers blacksmiths the opportunity to show their work in a gallery setting during the festival. The exhibition will show work by this year’s featured blacksmith and festival demonstrators along with work from blacksmiths in and away from our community. Cash prizes will be awarded and the public can vote for their favorite piece for the People’s Choice Award.
When: March 30 – April 27
Were: Kokol Gallery

Second Tuesday Life Drawing - April
2024-04-09 17:30 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States

Paper Making with Iris Rountree
2024-04-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Join paper artist Iris Rountree for a morning of making your very own, custom, handmade paper.
Register here.
When: April 13, 2024, 10 am – 1 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $35

Lori Brook Johnson: A Nearly Concealed Heart
2024-04-26 - 2024-06-01 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
This body of work explores labor and its effects on relationships, self-esteem, and one’s ability to grieve with a focus on the confident beauty that would have been expressed if loving care was given in place of exploitation. Born in the coal fields of West Virginia, I reference my personal history as well as documentation from The Farm Security Administration and the National Child Labor Committee to compose new mixed media drawings to reflect on the generational ramifications of exploitative labor. The effort of this work is focused on healing and tending to things neglected or harmed in the past. This exhibit will include pieces composed around child labor, the family, and our relationships with animals and the immediate environment.
When: April 26 – June 1, 2024
Where: Owen Gallery

Reception for 17th Annual Blacksmith Exhibition
2024-04-26 17:00 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
When: April 26, 2024, 5 PM – 7 PM
Where: Kokol Gallery

Reception for Lori Brook Johnson: A Nearly Concealed Heart
2024-04-26 17:00 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
When: April 26, 2024, 5 PM – 7 PM
Where: Owen Gallery

Needle Felted Brooch with Alena Applerose
2024-05-04 10:00 - 13:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Join local artist Alena Applerose for a morning learning about the traditional craft of needle felting. We’ll cover the basics of tools and techniques all while making your very own flower brooch. A great activity to share with Mom. Ages 12+ welcome with an adult participant.
Register here.
When: May 4, 2024, 10 am – 1 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $35

Spring Studio Tour Preview Exhibition
2024-05-11 - 2024-06-08 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
The Studio Tour Preview Exhibition is an exhibition of work from artists in Mitchell and Yancey Counties who are participating in the June Studio Tour. The exhibit is in conjunction with the Annual June Studio Tour which takes place annually on the first weekend of June. This year’s studio tour weekend is Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, May 31 – June 2. The exhibition opens on May 11th in the Spruce Pine Kokol Gallery and will run through June 8. It is an opportunity for visitors to get a preview of the artists that are on the tour and what they will be showing in their studios. We encourage visitors to come by the gallery and view this exhibition before they travel to the artists’ studios. There will be a reception on Friday, May 31, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM, and is open to the public.
When: May 11 – June 8, 2024
Where: Kokol Gallery

Second Tuesday Life Drawing - May
2024-05-14 17:30 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States

2024 Spring Studio Tour
2024-05-31 - 2024-06-02 | North Carolina
Participation in the Toe River Arts Spring & Fall Studio Tours is an exclusive opportunity for our artist members. This self-guided, driving tour featuring between 85 – 100 Toe River Artists offers local and visiting art collectors the chance to see our artists in their natural, creative studio habitats. A true glimpse into the mind and makings of each artist.
The June 2024 Studio Tour will be held from May 31 – June 2, 2024, alongside the Studio Tour Exhibition May 11 – June 8, 2024.
When: May 31 – June 2, 2024
Where: Studio Tour Map

Reception for the Spring Studio Tour Preview Exhibition
2024-05-31 17:30 - 19:30 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
When: May 31, 2024, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
Where: Kokol Gallery

Second Tuesday Life Drawing - June
2024-06-11 17:30 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States

Paint & Sip with Ivayla Gueorgiev
2024-06-13 17:30 - 20:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Join painter and Toe River artist Ivaylo Gueorgiev for an evening of painting instruction and delicious summertime drinks.
In contrast to the conventional Paint and Sip format, Ivaylo’s approach to teaching this class diverges towards a more engaging and creatively liberating experience. Rather than following the typical template of replicating a painting, participants will be introduced to the realm of abstract art as an inspirational starting point. Beginning with a journey through art history, attendees will gain insight into the evolution and diversity of abstraction. Through demonstrations of various painting techniques, participants will be equipped with the tools to explore their own artistic visions. This departure from imitation towards personal expression fosters a deeper appreciation for art history while empowering individuals to embrace their creativity and produce unique artworks.
Register here.
When: June 13, 2024, 5:30 pm – 8 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $35

Marobeth Ruegg Oil Paintings: 2011-2014
2024-06-15 - 2024-07-20 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
I think of my art as my part of a call-and-response song. The illimitable beauty of the earth is the call and my paintings are my response. I have chosen not to draw or depict scenes, things, objects. I aim to grapple with something less defined than anything that can be named. Forms, colors, and lines are what suggest an underlying layer to the visible identifiable everyday material world.
As a teenager, I encountered works of Wassily Kandinsky in my hometown Fine Arts Center. This and other influences crystallized my real creative focus, and after a career as a landscape designer, I have returned to painting.
When: June 15 – July 20, 2024
Where: Owen Gallery

John Hartom and Jenny Lou Sherburne: Syncopated Harmony
2024-06-22 - 2024-07-27 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
This is an exhibition of two area artists, working in different mediums, using both color and pattern in an assertive and dramatic manner. Their objects work together in a clear and powerful way. Hartom’s work consists of original paintings and monoprints on paper. With an emphasis on color and pattern, the process utilizes paint, ink, pastels, pencil, and oil-based crayons. His work includes blank journals (both Coptic stitch and case-bound), panel-mounted paintings (often multiple pieces arranged in a group), and individual framed pieces.
Sherburne is an artist striving to imbue her life and her work with a sense of growth, energy, and joy. Her ceramic objects, both functional and nonfunctional, utilize color in a dynamic and stunning way as every surface is lavished with color and pattern. From the smallest bowl to the largest sculpture, each object is a delight to behold with its excess of richness.
The exhibition includes the work of each artist displayed as in a one-person show with plenty of space around individual pieces. In some cases, each artist will create a cluster of similar objects adding sculptural interest. At other times the work of both will be installed together to take visual advantage of the connection of color and pattern. Each piece in this exhibition demonstrates a sophistication gained only with many years of concentrated effort.
When: June 22 – July 27, 2024
Where: Kokol Gallery

Reception for Marobeth Ruegg Exhibition
2024-06-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
When: June 28, 2024, 5 PM – 7 PM
Where: Owen Gallery

Reception for Syncopated Harmony Exhibition
2024-06-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
When: June 28, 2024, 5 PM – 7 PM
Where: Kokol Gallery

Young Potters – On the Wheel
2024-07-08 10:00 - 2024-07-09 12:00 | High Country Ceramic Arts, Burnsville., 552 E U.S. Hwy 19E Bypass, Burnsville, North Carolina, 28714
Join Toe River Artist Anna Early at High Country Ceramic Arts for two mornings of wheel throwing! Kids ages 7 and older will learn to throw on the pottery wheel. Materials & firing are included in the cost. Space is limited to 6 participants per session.
Register here.
When: July 8 – 9, 2024, 10 am – 12 pm
Where: High Country Ceramic Arts
Cost: $150 per person

Second Tuesday Life Drawing - July
2024-07-09 17:30 - 19:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States

Young Potters – Handmade for the Home
2024-07-10 10:00 - 2024-07-12 12:00 | High Country Ceramic Arts, Burnsville., 552 E U.S. Hwy 19E Bypass, Burnsville, North Carolina, 28714
Join Toe River Artist Anna Early at High Country Ceramic Arts for three fun mornings of clay camp!
Kids ages 5 and older will make hand-built plates, bowls, and cups to use at home! Materials and firing are included in the cost.
Register here.
When: July 10 – 12, 2024, 10 am – 12 pm
Where: High Country Ceramic Arts
Cost: $150 per person

Statement Necklaces with Alena Applerose
2024-07-13 10:00 - 13:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
Human beings have been adorning their bodies with “jewelry” since the earliest times. We can find evidence of both very simplistic and very complex methods of creating these personal items. Everyone has their own unique style and individual aesthetic. Spend the morning creating your own personalized adornment in the form of a statement necklace. We’ll provide everything you need: beads, baubles, charms, findings, stringing materials, etc.
Register here.
When: July 13, 2024, 10 am – 1 pm
Where: Toe River Arts Owen Gallery
Cost: $35

Beginner Wheel Throwing
2024-07-13 14:00 - 2024-07-14 17:00 | High Country Ceramic Arts, Burnsville., 552 E U.S. Hwy 19E Bypass, Burnsville, North Carolina, 28714
Melanie Risch of High Country Ceramic Arts will lead this 2-day workshop introducing participants to wheel throwing. Learn how to center clay on the potter’s wheel, throw basic vessels, trim, carve, and decorate with underglaze. For ages 14+. Class size maximum 6.
Register here.
When: July 13 – 14, 2024, 2 pm – 5 pm
Where: High Country Ceramic Arts
Cost: $200 per person

Bringle: A Tale of Two Makers Community Showing - Spruce Pine
2024-07-17 18:00 - 21:00 | Toe River Arts Gallery – Spruce Pine, 269 Oak Ave, Spruce Pine, NC, 28777, United States
We invite you to join Toe River Arts in a private screening of BRINGLE: A Tale of Two Makers. Two private screenings are scheduled, July 17th in Spruce Pine and August 4th in Burnsville. A meet and greet with Cynthia Bringle and Edwina Bringle will follow each viewing. To accommodate the number of anticipated guests, we will require that you RSVP as soon as possible. Our Spruce Pine location has limited space.
Register here.
When: July 17, 2024, 6 pm
Where: Owen Gallery, Toe River Arts
Cost: Free

Young Potters — On the Wheel
2024-07-18 10:00 - 2024-07-19 12:00 | High Country Ceramic Arts, Burnsville., 552 E U.S. Hwy 19E Bypass, Burnsville, North Carolina, 28714
Join Toe River Artist Anna Early at High Country Ceramic Arts for two mornings of wheel throwing! Kids ages 7 and older will learn to throw on the pottery wheel. Materials & firing are included in the cost. Space is limited to 6 participants per session.
Register here.
When: July 18 – 19, 2024, 10 am – 12 pm
Where: High Country Ceramic Arts
Cost: $150 per person
