This place was fun to explore as it is set up as vendor booths inside. There's plenty of local art…read moreor goodies that are handmade inside as well as other misc decor like items.

Love places like this. Lots of small arty creators under one roof. Every little shop had something…read moreamazing. I personally found a beautiful handmade leather journal and my mom bought some jewelry. Glad we made a stop

This place is amazing! Texture Gallery and Art Bar is such a…read morecool place to stop by and look around or to take an art workshop. They are located in an old house (I believe) that has been transformed into an art gallery/ framing studio/ Art bar/ Studio space. The upstairs level is the art gallery. It is absolutely gorgeous with each room with different colored painted walls to make the art on display really pop. They have dragon head sculptures, calligraphy art, burlesque photography, unique jewelry and so much more. My favorite part of this gallery is actually one of the walls-one of the owners has been (over time) gold leafing one of the walls and it is absolutely stunning. I am dreaming of doing this in my future home one day myself now. The bottom level of the space is where the magic happens. There is an "art bar" which is full of all the art supplies that you could imagine. You can take art workshops here with a group of friends, do an art project by yourself, or do a boxed art project with all of the instructions and materials provided. I recently did a group Mixed Media art workshop. A group of six of us did a three hour workshop led by Patrice. She is a great teacher, the class was super affordable, and it was super fun! For $35-$60 (depending on canvas size), we each created our own unique textured, colorful artwork. We were instructed on how to use the different materials (paint, stamps, modeling paste, mod podge, h20 colors, pitt pens, oil pastels, napkins, tissue paper, etc) and given inspiration. Within the three hour time period, each of us was able to start and complete a piece of art. I truly love this place and recommend it for anyone who loves looking at art (walk through the gallery), anyone who is intimidated by the idea of making art (take a no-pressure workshop with Patrice), or active artists (always good to try new things). Bring your friends, your family, your coworkers. Super fun!

Great space with very unique art! I love it! The top…read morefloor is the gallery and custom framing shop, while the lower floor is a super fun art/craft class space. She has many interesting and fun ideas for making something--from challenging to kid friendly everyone can take a cool thing home.

Was surprised at the quality of the art, quilts and woodworking in the folk art center. But that…read morequality comes at a price. Everything was a bit expensive as well. But we enjoyed the wide variety of items!

The Folk Art Center is one of the stops on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A lot of the Parkway is still…read moreclosed and this is the last stop at the moment as there are barriers preventing you from going north. The Folk Art Center is free to visit. Sometimes when I visit, you can see people working on their crafts. They were during my most recent visit. The building is accessible for everyone. The first floor has restrooms, the Southern Highlands Craft Guild shop and a Blue Ridge Parkway shop and an information desk. The second floor showcases the art. I love seeing all the different types of art from the quilts to woodworking to basket weaving. I enjoyed the stained glass and a canvas that was woven. It was quite unique. I enjoy the rotating exhibits as it is different each visit. Outside there are some trails if you want to explore nature.

I love exploring Asheville's River Arts District at every opportunity, but I must say, Cotton Mill…read moreStudios are some of my favorites. Several studios extend throughout this old, repurposed mill, beautifully adorned with a geometric mural and small sitting gardens along the outside. But it's the inside that is like opening up a present on Christmas morning, any and all artists will find something they enjoy here, the gallery is very diverse. +Christie Calaycay: traditional metalsmithing techniques [piercing, forming, forging, hard soldering, textural hammering, and riveting]. Emphasizes organic qualities & natural appearance. Jewelry meant to ground & connect the wearer to nature/environment. +Andy Herod: screen printing, acrylics, aerosol stencils, guache, watercolor, wood working and drawing. +Nancy Hilliard Joyce: matte acrylic hues, various hand-made papers & touches of oil colors. +John Mac Kah: Paintings as experiences! +Metal and Thread: Textile work {Derek Dominy: fascination with the formation of various alloys}. +Victoria Pinney: Oil paint & waxing to create abstract works. +REVOLVE: Studio [inside a gallery!] They were doing an exhibit with works from a local university during my visit. +Akira Satake: Ceramics!! His work evokes the hand of nature. +Barbara Zaretsky {of CLOTH Fiber Workshop}: handcrafted decorative textiles for home and wardrobe. Plant based dyes! AND, in addition to all the fabulous artists, the various textiles, the incredible building... they have an incredible coffee and pastry shop, sharing quarters with Akira Satake {some of his ceramics are used to hold pastries and even cream!} So, the ultimate dream comes true at The Cotton Mill, you can oogle over incredible art, while sipping on a fabulous tea or coffee.

We parked more centrally located by the Wedge building but walked all around the area and made it…read moreover to this building. There's definitely a mix of artists and an exotic boutique. The reason I'm not giving this a higher rating is because a lot of the art didn't grab us as much as in some of the other nearby galleries. In one place, the artists didn't even look up to acknowledge us when we entered and departed. Weird. It looks like pre-COVID, they also had events with live music here. This looks like a cool building, but all in all we enjoyed some of the nearby galleries better.

Here's where art is wonderfully local and diverse. An amazing store with a variety of artworks like…read moreT-shirts, cards, figurines, art prints, woodworks and so much more. For me, this is the Asheville i came to discover and is a mini indoor art faire with so much to choose from. The same people create and run a twice yearly art faire called THE BIG CRAFTY that must be seen to fully appreciate!

This is a fun store that sells many things that you don't need but you find yourself purchasing…read morefrom this fun "general store." You will not get bored and it will be a great source for that hard to buy surprise gift.

While not as fancy or visually aesthetic as some of the other shops around, Clayspace Co-Op reminds…read morepatrons a messy shop means giant strides. This tiny shop, located in The Wedge building, houses five ceramic artists. All wood-fire their beautiful yet each truly unique, wares in the 27 foot long wood burning kiln. Clayspace Co-Op started as a two man production, two local student artists needed a space to work and together complied resources to open up the gallery and work space in 2003. Since then, the shop has expanded to six local professional ceramic artists who work and show in the cooperative space. The co-working space is in the back of the gallery and didn't seem accessible to general public, but the ceramics themselves, which adorn every surface and self, are individually handcrafted which is seen through the colors and rough edges. So, if you're in the market for: bowls, mugs, vases, urns, pitchers, plates or any type of jar wit a lid, and you're willing to pay for handcrafted items, this shop is not to be missed.

We stopped in when we were spending the afternoon exploring the River Arts District. I was actually…read moresurprised because Yelp said it was closed on Mondays, but we walked past and all the doors were open! So we went in to look and peruse. There were really cool pottery and sculpture things to see and buy. The gallery surrounds what appears to be a studio area, and there are small rooms/booths for the different artists, inviting you in to see more of their work. The only negative was how crazy hot it was! I found out a little later that many of the buildings and studios in the area don't have A/C, but whew! It was a waaaarm day and man, I just really wanted a cool breeze! That said, if you are in the area and you like pottery and arty stuff, this gallery should definitely be on your to-see list!

Such an amazing and inspiring experience. You cannot visit this open art studio and not leave…read morewithout some piece of art in your hand. You also cannot visit here and not leave without the urge to create, inspire and find your own purpose within the art community. Loved walking through here!

We stopped here to pick up a glass ornament. The space was very open and filled with beautiful…read morework. The employee was incredibly friendly and helpful, even offering shipping. The pieces were fairly priced. I think you could also see glass demos depending on the time of day

It's unlike any glass studio I've visited. We were amazed…read moreby the talent of the glassblowing at Lexington Glassworks. Each piece was a work of art.