As an artist, I can understand why people refer to Asheville, North Carolina as a “creative mecca.” The history of the city is rich with artistic and cultural significance, and the community of people who have continued to move there are keeping the spirit alive. From the Asheville Mural Projects huge undertaking on the 240 overpass, to the exciting things happening in the River Arts District, to the new breed of open mic nights and live performing arts venues such as The Courtyard Gallery, Asheville is continuing to prove itself as a diverse cultural haven. My recent return to the Gray Line Asheville Trolley Tour gave me a chance to see all this first hand.
This time my intention was to explore the new creative culture that is blossoming in parts of many different parts of Asheville. As usual the tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and genuinely seemed to enjoy his job. We kept a slow pace through downtown and I was able to admire the amazing architecture in the Pack Place part of town, and the surrounding area. A short walk from the Vance Monument in Pack Square leads to the new Pritchard Park, where the Friday night drum circle and many events throughout the summer now take place. The buildings of College St. and Patton Ave. are beautiful, and added much to my historic tour of Asheville.
My next stop was the historic Biltmore Village neighborhood, where I was able to browse independently owned cafes and boutiques. Art galleries and interesting shops offering local hand crafts abound, and an even mix of tourists and local professionals were out to enjoy the lovely sidewalk cafes.
Perhaps the highlight of my tour from the perspective of a traveling artist was the newly revitalized River Arts District. These old warehouses and factories located along the French Broad River are now being converted into the most eclectic community of artists studios you could possibly want to find. From clay to metal to glass and everything in between, artists and craftspeople of every stripe have moved in to make the Asheville River Arts District one of the most thriving sources of independent art available. The weekend long studio strolls that take place throughout the summer are amazing, and highly recommended. There are even a few live music venues, and a wonderful café to compliment the wide array of workshops and galleries.
A stop at the Haywood Park Hotel offers the opportunity to further enjoy Gray Line’s unlimited hop-on, hop-off privileges. A walk towards the newly renovated Grove Arcade offers more wonderful restaurants and shopping, and leads to the Flat Iron Building and Wall Street, which offers a wide variety of local artist studios and independent shops and boutiques. A short stroll from there put me on Haywood St., where independent book stores and shops line the street.
From there a short stroll down Walnut St. took me to one of Asheville's lesser known creative communities in the quaint and hidden courtyard that separates Lexington Avenue from Carolina Lane. A lovely tree filled stone courtyard is surrounded on every side by pillars of the local creative community such as The Courtyard Gallery, Top Floor Studios and Altamont Recording. From there it is a short walk back up Broadway to Pack Place, where the next Gray Line Asheville Trolley will take me away to the next leg of my adventure.
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