"The Art of Recovery" Exhibition Closing Reception

Pink Dog Gallery (348 Depot Street, Asheville, NC)

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"The Art of Recovery" Exhibition Closing Reception

January 04, 2025
05:00PM

Multigenerational Artists Present a Creative Response to Tropical Storm Helene with a Gallery Exhibit at Pink Dog Creative

December 7, 2024 - January 4, 2025 at Pink Dog Gallery (348 Depot Street, Asheville, NC) with opening and closing receptions at 5pm on December 7, 2024 and January 4, 2025 Gallery Hours: Saturday and Sundays from 1-3 Select Sundays to feature Bilingual (Spanish and English) interactive art pop-ups

Featuring youth and adult artists from Hood Huggers International, Umoja Collective, Slay The Mic Multimedia, All a Dream Darkroom; Curated by Destro With support from Asheville Creative Arts, UNCA STEAM Studio and Arts AVL

Asheville, NC - The Art of Recovery exhibit brings together youth artists from local organizations Hood Huggers International, Umoja Health, Justice and Wellness Collective, pairing them with adult artists, curator Destro, DeWayne Barton, Millad Nooraei, Michael Hayes, Jenny Pickens, Ant Grey of All A Dream Darkroom, Elizabeth Lashay of Slay The Mic Multimedia, and instructors Sara Sanders and Leslie Rosenberg at UNCA’s STEAM Studio. This show, hosted by Pink Dog Creative, a beloved gallery and artist work space in Asheville’s highly impacted River Arts District, platforms perspectives from Asheville’s Black community, exploring how youth and adults are moving on from the storm, and offering a space to meditate on what a just and resilient recovery from Helene could look like. The Art of Recovery is a multimedia exhibit which will include photographs, sculpture using reclaimed materials, fiber arts, animation, painting and sound installation, among others. The exhibit has received support from Asheville Creative Arts and an Arts AVL ‘Arts Build Community’ Grant. More information can be found at https://www.pinkdog-creative.com/

Subtitled Hammers and Bags: Rising through the Layers of Tragedy Over Old Wounds, The Art of Recovery acknowledges that even before the storm, many of Asheville’s Historically Black communities were facing cultural erasure and erosion. It asks: how do we include all in the rebuilding process? It does so through sculptures which incorporate materials which had been salvaged from the RAD prior to the storm; a mural created by the Burton Street Community under the guidance and vision of artist Jenny Pickens, interviews with youth from the Burton Street Neighborhood, and photographs of damage and recovery captured by youth artists, among existing artworks previously displayed at Creatives Under Instruction, an exhibit held at UNCA’s New Media Gallery in June of this year.

The gallery at Pink Dog Creative is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00pm - 3:00pm starting December 7, 2024 and ending Saturday, January 4, 2025. On Sundays Dec 8, 15, 22 and 29, in addition to viewing and purchasing art, Bilingual (Spanish and English) teaching artists from Asheville Creative Arts and Hood Huggers will hold art pop-ups oriented to young artists and their families to invite their participation in visioning a just recovery. There will also be an opening and closing reception celebrating - and accepting funds for - the artists and lead community based organizations who made the event possible on Saturday, December 7, 2025 and Saturday January 4, 2025 from 5-7pm. Select works will be available for sale.

About the Participating Organizations:

Hood Huggers International (HHI) led by DeWayne Barton uses the CAP (Community Accountability Plan) framework which helps identify cooperative ambitions, celebrate and maintain connections, and builds accountability through a variety of community-centered projects at the intersections of economic development, environmental and social justice, and creativity. https://hoodhuggers.com/

Umoja Health, Justice and Wellness Collective was founded by Michael Hayes and is a Black-run, grassroots nonprofit disrupting generational trauma & incarceration by teaching resiliency, building community, peer based recovery & healing through the arts. https://www.umojahwj.org/

Jenny Pickens is a self-taught artist from Asheville, North Carolina who works in a variety of mediums, including fiber arts, oils, pastels, and hand-built pottery. Her work is known for its vibrancy and depth, and often reflects the Black experience.

Destro - has curated many exhibits, including small group exhibits at The Cleveland Printroom, Photocentric Gallery, and University Hospitals.Destro has exhibited their work in many solo and group shows, including a solo show at Massillon Museum.

All a Dream Darkroom is led by Father/photographer Ant Grey, this local photographer can be booked for regular photoshoots, weddings, animal photography, and street photography. https://alladream.darkroom.com/#

Slay the Mic Multimedia was founded by Elizabeth Lashay. The mission of STM Multimedia Company is to provide a source of information, music, and entertainment while celebrating culture, community, and creativity by amplifying and empowering voices through our creative content studio, edutainment programs, and digital and on-air platforms https://stmmultimedia.com/

Asheville Creative Arts is Asheville's critically acclaimed, award-winning theatre devoted to creating works for children of all ages, which was cofounded in 2013 by Abby Felder. The company produces, presents and creates innovative works for multigenerational and multiethnic audiences. “Ostensibly, ACA produces children’s theater, but the company’s ambitious works appeal to both youths and adults.” - Mountain Xpress. https://ashevillecreativearts.org/

UNCA STEAM Studio brings together Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) in an educational space at the River Arts Makers Place (RAMP), engaging the next generation of makers, engineers, artists, and entrepreneurs, who work side-by-side with faculty and staff experts experienced in all facets of the creative process. https://steamstudio.unca.edu/

Pink Dog Creative Pink Dog Creative was founded by Randy Shull and Hedy Fischer in a former textile warehouse which has been transformed into an exciting mix of artist studios, restaurants, Asheville’s first and only Black owned coffeeshop, a gallery and retail spaces. Pink Dog raises awareness of people and organizations working to make our communities more equitable and just. https://www.pinkdog-creative.com/

Arts AVL Arts Build Community Grant has been available since 2018, and supports innovative, arts-based projects that inspire diverse groups of participants to be more active, involved, and civically-engaged by creating together.