<< Back 6/12/02 Open for business Downtown Waynesville gets ready for gallery and studio tour SMN “Look at this!” one browsing tourist mom says to her daughter as they stop to admire an elaborate windchime made with keys, beads and silvery spoonlike ornaments. “Isn’t that neat?” The two happen to be in Twigs & Leaves, one of downtown Waynesville’s most eclectic art galleries, but with 15 galleries scattered around the center of town, you might hear that same “Wow! Look at that!” exclamation coming all the time from visitors who travel from near and far to admire the wide variety of artwork available in Waynesville. So often, these galleries bring out a childlike wonder with young and old, an awe that comes from seeing wood or metal or glass or pottery arranged in a form they never before imagined. There’s something exciting about seeing that finely crafted table or quirky sculpture for the first time. But wouldn’t it be great if the artists themselves could be there to explain what went into making a windchime or a painting or a piece of pottery? Well, on Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the 15 studios and galleries in downtown Waynesville will offer a day-long open house and walking tour to give the public an educational, behind-the-scenes look at how local artists create the pieces that bedazzle those who flock to Waynesville and area towns in Western North Carolina to discover a myriad of homemade, handcrafted artwork made by local talents. All day long, dozens of artists and craft artisans will be set up along Main Street or inside various downtown studios to give free demonstrations of all kinds of artwork from watercolor painting to glass blowing to pottery to metal sculpture. Catherine Muerdter will lead walking tours of the downtown Waynesville street sculpture exhibit known as StreetSCAPES. Stores will offer special sales, and the galleries and studios will provide door prizes, drinks and refreshments. “It’s a great day to talk to the artists,” said Jon Bowman, a nature photographer and co-owner of Deja View Gallery, is one of the featured galleries on the tour. “Waynesville’s gradually becoming more well known as a center for arts and crafts, and this event just builds on that.” Bowman designed the colorful postcard that is being mailed out and marketed to advertise the event. There’s also a helpful brochure (available in downtown stores and at the kiosks) listing all the galleries — including two new additions this year: North Main Street Studios and Gallery (an artist cooperative just down the Main Street hill and through the stoplight at 591 North Main Street) and Iron Horse Gallery (which is scheduled to open soon, featuring slipcast, earthenware pottery, and located at 66 Commerce Street in the Frog Level district). The handsome brochure gives a brief description of each of the galleries and studios, their business hours, phone numbers, web sites, and owner names as well as a map and a listing of upcoming downtown Waynesville events. The 7th annual Studio and Gallery Tour is always held on the third Saturday in June, and in case you’ve missed previous gallery open house tours or weren’t sure what to expect, June 15 is a unique opportunity to meet and talk with all kinds of artists and to see how art is made from start to finish. Twigs & Leaves, for example, will feature two artists set up on the sidewalk outside the gallery — jeweler Sandra Smathers and wordworking and furniture artist Robert Garrett. Inside, pottery pro Kaaren Stoner will be at work designing her signature clay leaves on pottery. Twigs & Leaves co-owner David Erickson has been the chairperson for the Studio and Gallery Tour the past three years, but this year, the dutiful designation was passed on to Jean Alvarez of the Hardwood Gallery, which features hand-crafted wood sculptures, reliefs and functional bowls and utensils. Taking on the huge task of organizing what has become a popular event, Alvarez said she’s enjoyed the spirit of camaraderie among the town’s artists and studio/gallery owners. Members of the Blue Ridge Water Media Society will be donating their time along with dozens of other artists ranging from a doll maker to a dulcimer maker. “We’re all supportive of each other,” she said. And if you think that’s the downtown propaganda line, stick around long enough, and you’ll notice a customer come into a gallery, ask for a certain kind of gift and hear the owner say something like, “No, we don’t have that particular piece, but such-and-such gallery across the street has it.” Truly, the store owners and the gallery owners send customers to each other all the time — even if they happen to sell the same kinds of artwork or accessories. An elderly couple came into the Hardwood Gallery one Friday morning looking for a cane. The gallery has some wooden walking sticks but no canes, so Alvarez recommended they go by the Biltmore Village Company down the street, and off they went. It’s like that on Main Street — a business of mutual respect and support. In the two years Alvarez has been on Main Street, she’s met visitors from all over the United States, Japan, Germany, even a boys’ choir from England. The gallery is a peaceful respite with classical music playing in the background and gorgeous wooden statues on display. “Art is a Good Idea,” a sign on a back counter reads. Downstairs, Hardwood Gallery co-owner Dennis Ruane turns a stump of old wood into a soap-smooth eagle or mountain man or child perched among trees. Jean puts the finishing touches on them to give it a polished look. Each gallery has its own magic, its own stories of how the artist got started and how he or she continues to stay inspired despite the rigors of long hours and failed attempts at a masterpiece. Spending a brief time with any of them, you begin to realize how much time and patience goes into a piece and why it costs what it does. (Remember that the next time you turn over a piece of pottery to check for the pricetag and turn up your nose when you think it’s overpriced.)