19th Annual Blacksmith Exhibition

March 28 – April 25, 2026
Kokol Gallery

Reception:
April 24, 2026
5 PM – 7 PM
Kokol Gallery

Toe River Arts hosts the Annual Blacksmith Exhibition in conjunction with the Fire on the Mountain Blacksmithing Festival which takes place on Saturday, April 25th from 10 AM – 4 PM on Lower Street in downtown Spruce Pine. The festival is coordinated by Downtown Spruce Pine, Penland School of Craft, Toe River Arts, and local smiths.

The exhibition runs the month prior to the festival, giving the public an opportunity to view the work of blacksmiths from the southeast and beyond. It promotes the festival and is one of the premier blacksmith exhibitions in our region. The exhibition offers craftspeople the opportunity to show their work in a region known for its blacksmithing history. The exhibition will display this year’s featured blacksmith Elizabeth Brim and festival demonstrators; Elizabeth Belz, Kat Cole, Andrew Meers, and John Winer.

There will be a public reception on Friday, April 25th from 5 PM–7 PM. This is an opportunity for folks to meet the blacksmiths and to celebrate this year’s exhibition and festival. Elizabeth Brim will speak in the upstairs Owen Gallery after the reception. There will be $1000 in awards which will be announced during the reception. 

 Participating Artists:

Adam Acock                                                Kat Cole                                                     Broadus Mobbs                                                   James Viste

J Amburgey                                                 James Cooper                                         Zack Noble                                                              Lyle & William Wheeler

Cole Aurichio                                             Casey Hebel                                             Morgan Owen                                                       Adam Whitney

Bowen Beaty                                              Brendan Keenan                                   Michael Panciera                                                John Winer

Elizabeth Belz                                            Abigail Leonard                                     Elizaveta Polikashina                                        Mark Woodham

Sean Berube                                               Will Lord                                                    Jan Rybczynski                                                     Anton Yakushev

Rachel Breitinger                                    Artem Marshak                                     Eric Ryser                                                                 Nina Yao

Elizabeth Brim                                          Andrew Meers                                       Ezra Singler                                                             Chuck Young