Posts by Jordan Ahlers

 

 

  • Opening Reception for 3 New Exhibitions

    Thursday, February 29th, 5-8pm
    by Jordan Ahlers
     
    Momentum Gallery proudly presents three new exhibitions, opening with a reception on leap day, Thursday, February 29th from 5-8 pm. Artists Meg Lagodzki and Tommy Simpson each have solo shows opening. A group show, Works on Paper, features artworks from artists: Chakaia Booker, Mariella Bisson, Ellen Heck, Jill Hotchkiss, Harvey K. Littleton, Therman Statom, Chuck Webster, and more. Leap into our gallery and join us for refreshments among friends and artists. Guests can meet several of the artists, gain insights into their creative processes, and experience the magic behind each piece.
     
    Meg Lagodzki, Paw Paw Patch (October), Hand painted collage with acrylic on panel, 40 x 60 inches.
     
    Meg Lagodzki immerses herself in the forests surrounding her home, often painting or sketching outdoors, capturing the landscape’s essence through her distinctive paintings and layered acrylic collages. Lagodzki captures native flora and plays with the ever-shifting seasonal light. One standout piece features a beech tree’s pale, marcescent leaves, its trunk adorned by shield lichen, creating a mesmerizing glow against an ice-blue winter sky. In a summer scene, she portrays a lush grove of paw-paw saplings with layers of bright green and deep shadows, all gracefully dancing in dappled sunlight.
     

    With a particular focus on caves, ravines, and abandoned limestone quarries, Lagodzki vividly portrays the delicate balance between human disruption of the land and nature's reclamation. She believes these reclaimed landscapes still resonate with great power in the human imagination, serving as a testament to the resilience of nature and the cyclical dance of disruption, ruin, and renewal.

     

    Tommy Simpson, Untitled Abstract, Gouche on paper, 10 x 12 inches.

     

    Tommy Simpson, an Asheville-based artist, is internationally renowned. A self-proclaimed "imaginist," Simpson transcends conventional boundaries of craftsmanship, fine art, and whimsy. This solo exhibit is a tribute to his prolific sixty-five-year career, encapsulating his creative evolution and mastery across diverse mediums such as woodworking, painting, printmaking, clay, rug design, and prose.

     

    Simpson’s solo show includes folky, figurative sculptures, whimsical wooden furniture, clocks, vibrant abstract paintings on carved panels, ceramics, woven rugs, and sculpture. Words enhance Simpson’s furniture and poetic works – his showcase will be uniquely bound together by written expressions.

     

    Simpson’s influence extends beyond gallery walls, with seven published books to his credit and the unique honor of being featured on two US postage stamps. A significant publication with over 200 photos, curated by Oscar P. Fitzgerald – author, historian, and authority on American furniture – is currently in the works, offering an in-depth exploration of Simpson's impactful contribution to the world of art.

     

    Simpson’s works find a permanent place in prestigious museum collections, including the American Craft Museum in New York, the NY Museum of Art and Design, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, the Boston MFA, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and Connecticut’s Wadsworth Atheneum and New Britain Museum of American Art. His works are in the public collections of Playboy, Inc., Boston Public Library, Brown University Library, Harvard Fine Arts Library, and more.

     

    Jill Hotchkiss, Quince, Gold leaf on Arches archival cotton paper, 30 x 22 inches.

     

    Works on Paper is a group exhibition featuring original prints and unique works by represented artists and special guests. Pattern and color play prominently in the collection, which includes figurative and botanical subjects, as well as non-objective and geometrical abstractions, and abstracted landscapes by Mariella Bisson, Chakaia Booker, Ellen Heck, Jill Hotchkiss, Harvey K. Littleton, Therman Statom, Chuck Webster, and more.

     

    Therman Statom, Buddha (Forest Stories), Vitreograph AP, 30 x 24 inches.

     

    Works on Paper marks Momentum’s second team-up with master printer Phil Sanders, who has a studio in downtown Asheville. Sanders worked with several artists in the show, helping to create some of the featured works. At some point during the exhibition’s run, Sanders will speak at the gallery about his experiences as a collaborative printmaker.

     

    These three exhibitions continue at Momentum Gallery’s 52 Broadway location in Downtown Asheville through Saturday, May 4th.

  • by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery is proud to share one of our artist's most recent achievements! Amber Cowan recently opened her solo exhibition Alchemy of Adornment at the Museum of American Glass in Millville, NJ. The show centers around the rise, fall, and reclamation of American Glass through a contemporary and innovative lens. Already receiving praise for the impressive body of work, the exhibition prompted a featured article in Hyperallergic exploring the depths of her practice. If the expressions of Amber Cowan resonate with you, we are always happy to assist in finding the next perfect addition to your collection.

  • Wendy Maruyama at Momentum Gallery

    Wednesday, Nov 8th, 12-2pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    WENDY MARUYAMA

    Meet and Greet: Tuesday, November 8 th, 2023 from 12-2pm.

    Join us in welcoming Wendy Maruyama to Asheville, an innovator and driving force in woodworking, installation art, and studio furniture. Wendy was one of the first ever women to receive an MFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology - but that would only be one of many groundbreaking achievements to come. Exploring themes that stem from her Japanese heritage alongside feminism, social justice, and animal rights, her work has received international acclaim. Beyond countless solo and group exhibitions, her work can be found in some of the world's most prestigious galleries and museums - including Victoria and Albert Museum in London, UK, Renwick/Smithsonian Museum in Washington DC, and of course Momentum Gallery in Asheville, North Carolina.


    We look forward to introducing you to Wendy Maruyama on Wednesday, November 8th, from 12-2pm. Click here for a link to the Facebook event to Meet the Artist.

     

  • Winter Exhibitions at Momentum

    November 16, 2023 – February 3, 2024
    by Jordan Ahlers
  • Vote Momentum Gallery Best of WNC

    Mountain Xpress poll – now through April 30th
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    It's that time of year again to show your love for Momentum Gallery! An online poll offers opportunities to vote for Momentum as the "Best of WNC" in various categories including Best Art Gallery, Best Wedding Venue, Best Place to Bring Out-of-Town Guests (or any number of other things you may feel appropriate). The ballot is live now and open through April 30th. It can be accessed through the following link – https://mountainx.com/bestofwnc/

     

    You can log on and vote for a single category or choose to weigh in on any number of local businesses and services. Thank you for taking a moment to vote. We appreciate the recognition that comes from this survey and are grateful for your support!

  • Spring Exhibitions at Momentum

    April 27 – June 24, 2023
    by Jordan Ahlers
    On Thursday, April 27th, Momentum Gallery, in downtown Asheville, opens four exhibitions of new work by an impressive group of artists working in a variety of media. These exhibits continue daily at the gallery through Saturday, June 24th. 
     
    JOHN L. CLEAVELAND, JR., CALM and RUSH, OIL ON PANEL, 24 X 48 INCHES.
    Following successful exhibitions at the Morris Museum and the Huntsville Museum of Art, John L. Cleaveland, Jr. presents a collection of recent oils at Momentum Gallery. For thirty years, the notable contemporary realist has meticulously rendered the southern landscape in remarkable detail. The current collection features woodland panoramas, rocky cliffs, reflective rivers, and dreamy marshes, places Cleaveland personally selected for their historical context, geographic perspective, and emotive impact. 
     
    LISA CLAGUELEDA AND THE SWANS, CLAY, METAL, ENCAUSTIC, 28-1/4 X 35 X 11 INCHES.
    Renowned figurative ceramist Lisa Clague presents new sculptural work in a range of scale, from oversized heads to diminutive busts. Clague’s chimeric forms are often an amalgamation of human and animal imagery. Women with classical features, adorned in elaborate headdresses, become conduits to the subconscious, referencing mythology and spirituality without sacrificing whimsy. 
     
    RON ISAACS, SETTING OUT, ACRYLIC ON BIRCH PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION, 66-3/4 X 35 x 4-1/4 INCHES.
    Trompe l’oeil constructions convey poetic relationships between everyday objects. Ron Isaacs’ realistic depictions of clothing, branches, architectural elements, tools, and envelopes–all incredibly replicated in paint and plywood–celebrate transformation and symbolic connection. The artist will be speaking about his work at the opening reception on April 27th, beginning at 6:00 pm. 
     
    BILL HALL, CRAZY QUILT, ETCHING, AQUATINT, DRYPOINT, WHITE GROUND & COLLAGRAPH COLLAGE, 14 X 16 INCHES.
    Recent works on paper by master printer Bill Hall combine printmaking, painting, and collage elements to render graphic, abstract compositions with spacial dynamics. Surface patterning and color relationships provide further visual interest while torn paper edges and organic shapes soften the geometry. Following a nearly thirty year career as a master printer with Pace Editions, Hall is now free to focus on his own work full time. 
     
    Four exhibitions open with a reception downtown at 52 Broadway on Thursday, April 27 from 5-8 pm. All of the featured artists plan to be in attendance. This event is free and open to the public.
  • Amy Gross work featured at Asheville Art Museum

    Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration
    by Jordan Ahlers
    Amy Gross' fiber and mixed media work Flora Ruba will be included in Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration at the Asheville Art Museum from February 2–May 29, 2023.  
     
    Amy Gross, Flora Ruba, Mixed media including beads, velvet, thread, yarn, paper, glass, polymer clay, wire, 22 x 18 x 8 inches.
    Too Much Is Just Right: The Legacy of Pattern and Decoration features more than 70 artworks in an array of media from both the original time frame of the Pattern and Decoration movement, as well as contemporary artworks created between 1985 and the present. The artworks in this exhibition demonstrate the vibrant and varied approaches to pattern and decoration in art. Sections will explore the history of pattern and decoration’s use in American art during and after the now formally recognized movement was established. Artworks from the 21st century elucidate contemporary perspectives on the employment of pattern to inform visual vocabularies and investigations of diverse themes in the present day. 
     
    Artworks drawn from the Asheville Art Museum’s Collection join select major loans and feature Pattern and Decoration artists Valerie Jaudon, Joyce Kozloff, Robert Kushner, and Miriam Schapiro, as well as Anni Albers, Elizabeth Alexander, Sanford Biggers, Tawny Chatmon, Margaret Curtis, Mary Engel, Cathy Fussell, Shan Goshorn, Samantha Hennekke, John Himmelfarb, Anne Lemanski, Rashaad Newsome, Peter Olson, Don Reitz, Sarah Sense, Billie Ruth Sudduth, Mickalene Thomas, Shoku Teruyama, Anna Valdez, Kehinde Wiley, and more.  
     
    This exhibition is organized by the Asheville Art Museum and guest curated by Marilyn Laufer & Tom Butler. On behalf of the gallery and Amy Grosswe're grateful to Marilyn and Tom for thinking of us and choosing this fantastic piece for the show!
  • John Cleaveland - Current and Upcoming Solo Exhibitions

    Huntsville Museum of Art - NOW through April 2
    by Jordan Ahlers
     
    John Cleaveland is a critically-acclaimed contemporary realist painter whose depictions of the landscape have inspired and amazed viewers for over three decades.  Cleaveland selects his sites carefully.  Some are iconic in nature, symbolic of an area, or have borne witness to great events or conflicts. Others provide a challenge to the Georgia-based artist with regard to perspective or light.  All share the same gritty intensity and detail that imbue Cleaveland's work with a gravity which draws the viewer in. And, they are immersive. Many of Cleaveland's paintings are quite large scale allowing for the viewer to feel like they could walk right into them. 
     
     
    The current exhibition at the Huntsville Museum of Art (AL) features imagery from  Alabama and beyond. Encounters continues in the Museum's Grisham Gallery through April 2, 2023. Following the close of the show in Huntsville, several of these paintings and others will be exhibited and sold through Momentum Gallery in Asheville, NC.  John Cleaveland's exhibition of recent work opens at Momentum on Thursday, April 27 and continues through Saturday, June 24.  
  • by Jordan Ahlers
    Momentum Gallery is proud that several original works by Artist Partners were chosen to be included in US Embassies abroad.  A suite of four mixed media paintings by Michael Barringer were recently acquired for the Embassy in Hyderabad, India.  
    Bloom Mandala, Nos. I-IV are contemporary abstract paintings which reference mandalas - geometric configurations of symbols employed in various spiritual traditions for focusing attention, used in meditation and as a spiritual guidance tool.
     
    Additionally, textile and ceramic works by Crystal Gregory and Heather Hietala, respectively, were selected for the Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh.  
     
    Crystal Gregory's Changing Places features a pair of concrete panels conjoined by one of the artist's textiles handwoven in rich jeweltones. Gregory explores preconceived notions of strength with her works that feature woven threads and fabric embedded within and draping from cast concrete.  
     
    Heather Hietala's Trilogy II is a personal favorite of the artist, held back for special exhibitions, and features a set of three wood-fired ceramic boat forms paired with four paddles.  
     
    Art in Embassies (AIE), a U.S. Department of State program, creates vital cross-cultural dialogue and fosters mutual understanding through the visual arts and dynamic artist exchanges. AIE develops and presents approximately 60 exhibitions per year and has installed over 70 permanent art collections in more than 200 of the Department's diplomatic facilities in 189 countries. To accomplish the mission, AIE engages over 20,000 international participants, including artists, museums, galleries, universities, and private collectors.
  • "Selene" by Joanna Manousis – Museum Acquisition

    Ringling Museum in Sarasota, FL
    by Jordan Ahlers
    "Selene" by Joanna Manousis – Museum Acquisition
    We are thrilled to announce the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in Sarasota, Florida has acquired Joanna Manousis’ stunning work Selene for their permanent collection!  Momentum Gallery is proud of Joanna and this most recent museum placement. 

    The artist writes about the work – "Selene is comprised of 42 glass segments that take on the formation of an oculus window, commonly found in churches of the gothic architectural style. Rather than infiltrating light into a sacred space, Selene refracts light to its viewer. The glass segments act as apertures for the residual details of wheat and seed-like formations that lie within. Here, both the wheel and the wheat pay homage to the ever-flowing cycle of life and death. Opal glass, reminiscent of its water-stone has been used to embody Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon whose gravitational pull connects us to the tides."

     

    Selene represents the culmination of several months of studio-practice research. Artist Joanna Manousis conducted a series of 20 tests using an opaline glass that changes its color saturation based on the length of time it is held at a developing temperature in the kiln. The castings were held from 15 minutes to 200 hours at this advancing stage, creating a varied spectrum of hues. The segments that comprise Selene were cast in 5 separate kiln firings, each differing in its developing hold duration in order to present distinct opacity shifts in the finished sculpture. Selene is definitely a one-of-a-kind piece, made from glass that is no longer available.

     

    Joanna Manousis is currently in Sunderland, England pursuing a PhD in glass.  

  • by Jordan Ahlers
    Momentum Gallery welcomes renowned NC sculptor Hoss Haley for a reception and artist talk, Sunday, October 30th from 2:00 - 4:00pm.  This event is in conjunction with his current solo exhibition at the gallery, Topography, continuing through December 31st.  Haley will be in the gallery to discuss the work in the show, his creative process, and other current projects.  Refreshments will be provided.  This event is free and open to the public. 
     
     
    Topography features three of the artist's large-scale, original sculptures in weathering steel, several smaller tabletop sculptures in solid, forged steel, and a collection of bold, monochromatic paintings on steel panels that relate thematically to the 3D works.   
     
     
    A comprehensive, full-color catalogue is available from the gallery for $10 with images of each piece in the exhibition and a transcribed conversation between Haley and long-time friend and fellow maker Susie Ganch.  Please contact the gallery if you would like a copy mailed to you.
  • by Jordan Ahlers
     
    We are excited to announce that Momentum Gallery artist partner Amber Cowan was recently selected to receive the honor of a Delphi Award from the Smithsonian Institution!
     
    The Smithsonian Women’s Committee Delphi Award, initiated in 2021, is presented annually to one or more American artists who demonstrate distinction, creativity, and exceptional artistry in their work, and who are predicted by experts in the field to someday join that pantheon of artists who have reached the pinnacle of sculptural arts and design. Delphi recipients are mid-career artists who do not yet have the career longevity to be in many permanent museum collections although their work is exceptional. Past recipients include Steven Young Lee and Roberto Lugo.
     
    The Delphi Award will be presented to Amber Cowan in Washington, DC at a ceremony during the upcoming Smithsonian Craft Show in May 2023.  Amber Cowan was featured this week in a New York Times article you can read here.  
  • Fall Exhibitions at Momentum

    September 8 – November 12, 2022
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Bryce Lafferty, Pond with Starlings, Watercolor and gouache on paper, 15 x 12 inches.

     

    David Shingler, Cherokee, North Carolina, Oil on wood, 30 x 40 inches.

     

    Enchanting mixed media works present an introspective look at the natural world in a collection of work by four of Momentum Gallery's innovative Artist Partners. Solo and two-person presentations focus on recent works by Hillary Waters Fayle, incised and embroidered foliage;  Ivy Jacobsen, oil and mixed media paintings; Bryce Lafferty, drawing/watercolor; and David Shingler, oil paintings.  The exhibitions open with a reception at the gallery on Thursday, September 8, 5-8 pm.  For more information on these exhibitions, click here.

     

     Hillary Waters Fayle, Revealed I, Incised leaf, 12 x 9-3/4 inches.

     

     Ivy Jacobsen, Interspecies, Oil, acrylic, collage, resin on panel, 24 x 24 inches.

      

     

    Hoss Haley's Topography continues to receive high praise, wowing gallery visitors daily. The solo exhibition includes large-scale outdoor sculpture in corten steel, forged solid steel maquettes, and paintings on steel panels.  A full-color catalogue is available through the gallery.  Haley's exhibition continues through the end of 2022. 

     

    We look forward to sharing our space and artists' work with you.  Stay tuned for announcements of additional programming we'll be doing in conjunction with these exhibitions.  In the meantime, check out the following dates already scheduled.

     

    UPCOMING EVENTS – SAVE THE DATE:

    Opening Reception for Fall Exhibitions – Thursday, September 8th from 5-8 pm.  Bryce Lafferty and David Shingler will be in attendance.  Beer/wine and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.  

     

    Hoss Haley Gallery Talk – To Be Announced, mid-late October 2022

     

  • Hoss Haley: Solo Exhibition

    Topography August 4 - December 31, 2022
    by Jordan Ahlers



    Join us for an exhibition reception and artist talk on Sunday, October 30th from 2-4pm and meet one of our region's most celebrated artists. Hoss Haley’s monumental sculptures in steel, bronze, and concrete identify him as an accomplished artist with a strong point of view. His minimalist explorations of form take inspiration from geological features and architecture. Many of his works require a fair amount of engineering, and he often develops custom tools and processes to realize his ideas. Haley’s iconic work examines concepts of permanence, gravity, implied movement, and more recently, transparency. Haley is also a talented draftsman making paintings on steel panels. Over the past three decades, Haley has achieved a great reputation through the placement of several significant public works, including corporate and museum acquisitions in NC, TN, VA, and beyond.  A catalogue is available for this exhibition. 



  • Andy Farkas: Two New Moku Hanga Prints

    Solo Exhibition Featuring Two New Moku-Hanga Prints, along with works from the past decade
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Andy Farkas, Shared Dream, Moku hanga, 11 x 14-3/4 inches.

     

    Meet Andy Farkas on Sunday, August 14 at Momentum Gallery from 2-4pm.  A collection of the artist's beloved wood engravings and moku hanga prints occupies our Feature Gallery this summer.  Farkas' prints feature personified animals and original sayings in letterpress text.  The solo exhibition has several editioned works from the past decade along with the debut of two beautiful, narrative Japanese watercolor woodcuts, Shared Dream and Right Now.  All of Farkas' original prints are available framed or unframed.

     

     

    Andy Farkas, Right Now, Moku Hanga, 12 x 8-1/2 inches

  • Summer Exhibitions at Momentum

    June 30 – August 27, 2022
    by Jordan Ahlers

    A collection of narrative and nature-inspired works are presented along with masterful turned wood vessels and blown glass installations.  Two of the featured artists – Mariella Bisson and Samantha Keely Smith – create oil paintings that reference the landscape.  Bisson's are far more literal representations of place including woodland areas and waterfalls of North Carolina and New York.  Smith's are farther toward abstraction.  While some elements in Smith's work feel atmospheric or topographical, Smith's sweeping oils are more concerned with creating an emotional space than trying to present any particular place.   

     

     

    Bisson's highly textural paintings begin with a collage layer imbuing them with a sculptural quality.  Geometric planes of rock, falling water, and trees colalese in strong, graphic compositions.  A new book entitled Paper and Paint explores Bisson's use of paper in her work and accompanies the exhibition.  Bisson's most recent work is presented around the gallery's first floor along with turned wood orbs and vessels from David Ellsworth. 

     

     

    David Ellsworth is one of the world’s premier wood turners. Over the past fifty years, he has achieved international recognition for his elegant hollow-formed vessels and sculptures. Ellsworth’s work is included in the permanent collections of forty-five museums. His understanding of material and process, a refined sensibility of form and balance, and an innovative spirit have defined his career and helped advance wood art worldwide. The Smithsonian recently honored David Ellsworth with the Visionary Award. Momentum celebrates Ellsworth this summer with a collection of his work from several series spanning a long and illustrious career.  There is a catalogue available for this exhibition.

     

     

    Samantha Keely Smith's paintings are featured at the back of the gallery's first floor with blown glass by husband and wife artists, Thor & Jennifer Bueno.  The Buenos make dramatic wall arrangements with multiple elements that look like metallic river stones. Their latest work is inspired by wildflowers and plants including Dogwood, Hydrangea, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit. The exhibition also features a wall-mounted branch with three stacked cairns of blown glass stones.  

     

     

    Rounding out this new collection for the summer are wood engravings and moku hanga prints by Andy Farkas. Farkas' beloved images feature personified animals and original sayings in letterpress text.  Farkas' solo exhibition has a collection of several editioned works from the past decade along with the debut of two beautiful,  narrative Japanese watercolor woodcuts, Shared Dream and Right Now.  All of Farkas' original prints are available framed or unframed.

     

     

    July is the final month to see Seth Clark's solo exhibition in its entirety.  Clark's contemporary, mixed media works explore themes of architectural decay. Clark comments, "My work focuses on deteriorating architecture. These structures, designed to be huge forces of permanence, are continually being challenged, destroyed and forgotten. I see an inherent honesty in the face of my subject. Among all of the clutter—the shards of wood and layers of rubble—there remains a gentle resolve. As I work, I study these structures incessantly. The buildings, often on the brink of ruin, have something very energized and present trying to escape from their fragmented reality.”

     

    We look forward to sharing our space and artists' work with you.  Stay tuned for announcements of additional programming we'll be doing in conjunction with these exhibitions.  In the meantime, check out the following dates already scheduled.

     

    UPCOMING EVENTS – SAVE THE DATE:

    Opening Reception for Summer Exhibitions – Thursday, July 7th from 5-8 pm.  Bisson, Ellsworth, Bueno and Farkas will be in attendance.  Beer/wine and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.  

     

    Artist Reception for Mariella Bisson – Sunday, July 10th from Noon-2 pm. Coffee and refreshments will be served.

     

    Opening Reception for Hoss Haley, Topography – Thursday, August 11th, 5-8 pm. The artist will be in attendance.  Beer/wine and refreshments will be served. This event is free and open to the public.  

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers
    A collection of oil paintings by contemporary realist John L. Cleaveland, Jr. are currently on exhibit at the Morris Museum of Art in Augusta, GA.  The View From Here features some of the Georgia artist's most ambitious paintings to date.  One such work, The Nature of Remembrance, measures 60 x 120 inches. It is an exquisite scene of a creekbed under a forest canopy with sunlight filtering through a symphony of foliage. As he does in many works, Cleaveland utilizes perspective to his advantage and demonstrates his prowess as a painter.  This painting captures a lot of the things Cleaveland does very well, including recreating the powerful experience of coming across a place in naure that causes you pause.  I hope people will have the opportunity to experience it in person in Augusta, GA (or perhaps later at Momentum Gallery in Asheville).  



    The Morris Museum states, "Highlighting the work of three consummately skilled contemporary artists, this exhibition addresses the distinctly different ways that each of them views the subject of landscape. They have this in common with landscape painters of the past: underlying their work are themes related as much to self-discovery and self-exploration as they are to the examination of topography." The View From Here pairs new work from Cleaveland with that of two other landscape painters Julyan Davis and Philip Juras.  The exhibition continues at the Morris Museum through September 11, 2022 and is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalog.
     
  • Tommy Simpson Exhibition – Related Programming

    Artist Talk, Film Screening, and Furniture Society Zoom
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Sunday, May 29, 2:00-4:00 pm – Artist Talk and Gallery Reception

    Meet the artist, hear stories from his nearly 60 year career, and learn insights to specific works featured in the current exhibition at Momentum Gallery. Refeshments will be served – FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

     

    Momentum Gallery

    52 Broadway

    Downtown Asheville, NC 28801

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    Friday, June 3, 6:00-8:00 pm – Film Screening of Tommy Simpson Living in a World I Created, a new short film by Robb Helmkamp and Erik Wolken (from the Why Make? Series) – FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

     

    UNCA Steam Studios

    821 Riverside Drive

    Asheville, NC 28801

    ___________________________________________________________________________

                                                                                       

    Thursday, June 9, 5:00-5:30 pm – Via Zoom – Exhibtion Tour with Object Study in conjunction with Furniture Society Annual Conference – FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

     

    Via Zoom, for more information please visit:

    https://furnsoc.org/fs22/sessions/object-study-momentum-gallery

    https://furnsoc.org/fs22/speakers/tommy-simpson

     

     

  • Celebrating Garry Knox Bennett (1934-2022)

    Zoom Tribute from The Furniture Society
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Sadly, Garry Knox Bennett passed away unexpectedly on January 28, 2022.  The Furni­ture Society and the Center for Art in Wood invite you to partic­i­pate in a cele­bra­tion of Garry — the man, the maker, the legend.

     

    We thought the best way to pay tribute to him and his larger-than-life-sized legacy is by coming together and sharing thoughts and memo­ries, not only of his ground­break­ing work and prolific career, but also his inim­itable char­ac­ter, wit, and spirit. The evening will be hosted by Monica Hampton, Exec­u­tive Direc­tor of the Furni­ture Society, and Glenn Adamson, noted curator, histo­rian, and writer. 

     

    Join us Thurs­day, April 28 from 6:30 – 8pm EST as we pay tribute to Garry — his life, his work, and to raise a toast in his honor.

     

    Register for Zoom here.

    (This program will be recorded and available for viewing later)

  • by Jordan Ahlers
    Heather Hietala in Carolina Home and Garden Magazine
    Heather Hietala in Carolina Home and Garden Magazine
  • Two Murals Painted By Samantha Bates At Momentum Gallery

    Newest Public Art Installation at Downtown Asheville's Premier Fine Art Gallery
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery's Latest Public Art Offering: A Pair of Murals by Visiting Artist, Samantha Bates

     

    Please join us on Thursday, November 11th to view River Deep and Wade at the back entrance of the 3-story building located at 52 Broadway.  Stop by Momentum Gallery between 4:00-6:00pm to meet the artist and join us for a champagne/hot cider toast to celebrate the completion of both murals at 5:30pm.

     

    Two dynamic new artworks by Samantha Bates, for the public and passersby to appreciate, will be completed this week on the rear brick wall of 52 Broadway, home to both Momentum Gallery and Elevation Lofts Hotel.  Additionally, new paintings and textile works have been introduced to Samantha Bates' solo exhibition on the second floor of Momentum Gallery. Bates' work inspires contemplation and conversation, and we are honored to have her on hand to discuss her process. 

     

    Bates' contemporary landscapes are inspired by her time in wilderness areas. Through meticulous mark making and patterning, thousands of dashes and dots emerge into imagery of forests and water. The artist comments, "I make work that speaks to the personal relationship of images, the recognition of the familiar in an intangible and reaching sort of way. My work evokes a feeling, an uncovering. I want the work to be thought about, to invite revisiting and to hold an affinity for the viewer. The work is about glimpses, impressions that build to an awakening at the edges of recollection….it is about coming home in a small way." 

    The two murals total around 1200 square-feet, and depict iconic Western North Carolina wilderness scenes. In River Deep, the 2nd floor mural that measures 17 x 17 feet, a scene from Pisgah National Forest of a river surrounded by rocks and woods is rendered as a contemporary composition of patterned areas. The lower mural covers the entire 75 foot wide span of the building's 1st floor and features a pattern of energetic, undulating stripes in varying shades of blue and gray. This piece, Wade, is an abstract representation of the currents and movement of the Land of Sky's wind, water, and topography.

     

     

    Samantha Bates is one of Momentum Gallery's inaugural artists. Represented by the gallery since it opened in 2017, Bates work has been featured in two solo exhibitions at Momentum as well as Context Art Fair in Miami during Art Basel.  Samantha hails from Washington State and has been in residence in Asheville for the past month painting the murals. 

     

     

     

    Additional outdoor artwork will be added by Momentum Gallery over the coming weeks. The building's south side will soon welcome a stunning cyanotype painting by Casey Roberts. The gallery plans to install lighting for all the exterior artwork (by Hoss Haley, Samantha Bates, and Casey Roberts) so the works can be seen and enjoyed after the sun goes down.

  • An Evening with Lisa Clague – Artist Talk

    Friday, June 4th, 5:30-7:00pm RESERVATIONS REQUIRED
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery welcomes contemporary figurative sculptor Lisa Clague on Friday, June 4th at 5:30 pm.  In conjunction with her current solo exhibition at the gallery, Lisa will be on hand to discuss her artistic practice and the story behind the works included in the collection.  In the interest of public safety, this event is open to a limited number of guests.  Please RSVP by phone or email. 

     

    Lisa Clague’s fanciful and creative figurative ceramics convey emotion and intensity. Guardian angels, monkey-headed dieties, and crowned queens are some of the icons prominently featured in the collection made during the pandemic this past year.  Clague is a highly-accomplished ceramicist and a two-time award recipient of the Virginia Groot Foundation Grant. She has taught workshops at prestigious universities and arts organizations all over the country. Her dream-inspired sculptures with classically modeled visages can be found in many private collections and in the permanent collections of several museums nationally.  Momentum Gallery is pleased to pair Lisa Clague's well-known sculptures with a number of the artist's drawings and paintings on resin-coated wood panels. Clague's intricate drawings depict imagery and figures in a stylized and whimsical manner true to the artist's aesthetic.

  • Samantha Keely Smith & Casey Roberts Visit Asheville

    Back-to-back Artist Visits, Friday May 14th, 5-7:30pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

    As part of Momentum Gallery's grand opening celebrations at 52 Broadway in Downtown Asheville, please join us in welcoming two exciting painters for a casual reception at the gallery on Friday, May 14th from 5:00 - 7:30 pm. 

     

     

    Samantha Keely Smith is in Asheville for the first time! This visit is in conjunction with her current solo exhibition that opened Momentum Gallery's new space at 52 Broadway. The show features an exciting collection of over twenty dynamic oil paintings in a variety of sizes and color palettes. Come meet her on Friday, May 14th 5:30-7:30pm. 

     

     

     

    Casey Roberts delivers a collection of his recent cyanotype paintings and will be on hand to talk about his work and creative process.  We are delighted to welcome  him from Friday, May 14th from 5-6pm.

     

    We hope to see you! In the interest of public safety, this event is open to a limited number of guests.  Please RSVP by phone 828-505-8550 or email.  Masks required. 

  • Momentum Artists Honored

    Amber Cowan, David Ellsworth, and Wendy Maruyama
    by Jordan Ahlers

    It is a privilege to work with some of the finest makers in the country and share their work with our community.  Three of our Artist Partners are receiving some major recognition currently. 

     

    AMBER COWAN, 2021 US Artists Fellowship Amber Cowan is named one of “Sixty Bold Artists Shaping Today.” She is receiving the 2021 USA Fellowship by United States Artists. Amber won in the craft category and is the only glass artist to receive the $50,000 unrestricted award that recognizes artists for their contributions to the field.   

     

    DAVID ELLSWORTH, 2021 Visionary Award Recipient The Smithsonian Visionary Award, established in 2014, is presented annually to artists who are deemed by curators in the field to have risen to the pinnacle in the world of sculptural arts and design, who have works in major museums, and who have demonstrated distinction, creativity, artistry, and of course, vision in his or her respective medium.  This year, David Ellsworth and Michael Hurwitz join the small but prestigious list of past recipients: Patti Warashina, Joyce J. Scott, Faith Ringgold, Dale Chihuly, Toots Zynsky, Wendell Castle, and Albert Paley.

     

    WENDY MARUYAMA2021 Masters of the Medium (wood) The prestigious Masters of the Medium Award is presented by the James Renwick Alliance biennially to honor the most significant artists in American Craft.  Each awardee is recognized for their excellence in craftsmanship, influence in the medium and overall contributions to the field. This coveted honor is celebrated at the JRA Spring Craft Weekend at the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s Renwick Gallery – our nation’s showcase of contemporary American craft.

     

    We are so proud of all our artists and feel gratified when they receive the recognition they deserve!

  • Exterior Artwork at 52 Broadway

    Hoss Haley, Samantha Bates, Casey Roberts
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery displays some incredible work within its space.  The move to 52 Broadway allows us the opportunity to share artwork on the exterior of the building as well.  Recently, Hoss Haley installed a 9 x 10 foot Stainless Ripple on the front of the building along Broadway. Jordan Ahlers comments, "We wanted an iconic sculptural piece on the exterior of our building to offer passersby a taste of what lies within."

     

     

    Haley's perforated stainless-steel Ripple explores ideas of movement, fluidity, and transparency – a remarkable achievement for a piece made of steel. Ahlers continues, "I love the simplicity and symbolism of the ripple. (A Ripple) speaks to movement and effect; it is timeless and remains one of Hoss' most recognizable forms." A Ripple from Haley's White Series is in the permanent collection of The Mint Museum in Charlotte. "I like how its concentric rings offer a focal point to our façade (in addition to our spectacular front windows). I've been blown away by the transparent effect Hoss achieved by making this piece from perforated stainless steel – it adds another dimension to the piece being able to see through it to the brick!  I hope viewers enjoy discovering interesting architecture, sculpture, and murals as part of the rich and unique experience that is downtown Asheville." 

     

     

    Hoss Haley is a renowned sculptor from Western North Carolina. His large-scale sculptures were acquired recently by Charlotte's Mint Museum and Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Art. He is also the artist behind a pair of major works in downtown Asheville: the Pack Place fountain, made of bronze and stone, and the stainless steel pergola in front of City Hall, both of which draw inspiration from the landscape surrounding Asheville.

     

     

    Casey Roberts, 2021

     

    Additional outdoor artworks will be added by Momentum Gallery over the coming weeks. The building's south side will soon be graced by a stunning new cyanotype painting by Casey Roberts, and another side will feature nearly 1200 square feet of murals by one of the gallery's stellar emerging artists, Samantha Bates, later this spring. Bates has a solo exhibition of her paintings and textile works on display for the new gallery's opening.

     

     

     

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery is proud to announce a partnership with Chihuly Studio.  The move to our new space on Broadway marks the debut of a substantial collection which features glass sculptures and hand-embellished serigraph prints from the studio of the renowned Seattle artist.  "We are thrilled to collaborate with Chihuly and provide access to this outstanding work in a region historically significant to the field of studio glass," says Jordan Ahlers, Momentum Gallery's Owner and Director.

     

    In 2018, a collection of Dale Chihuly's glass was assembled at the majestic residence and gardens at Biltmore Estate in Asheville drawing tens of thousands of visitors to see works by the Washington-state based artist. This is not the only connection Chihuly has to the mountains of western NC. The artist previously visited the area at the invitation of one of his mentors, Harvey Littleton (1922-2013). In the late 80s and again in 1994, Littleton and Chihuly worked together on a series of original vitreograph prints (a process invented by Littleton which involves etching on glass plates). Momentum illustrates this connection, exhibiting original vitreographs from Dale Chihuly along with work by the late Harvey Littleton.

     

    As part of our collection, Momentum Gallery is pleased to offer three dramatic works released earlier this month! The 2021 Chihuly Studio Editions - Viola Plum Macchia, Rosetta Persian, and Seagrass Seaform - are exuberant works that exemplify Chihuly's passion for color and form.

     

    Viola Plum Macchia, 2021 Chihuly Studio Edition

     

    Two defining characteristics of Dale Chihuly's Macchia series are the contrasting interior and exterior colors and the "spots" created by colored-glass frit, or "jimmies." To achieve these qualities, the interior color of the sculpture is applied to the molten clear-glass bubble. The bubble is then rolled over chunks of white glass, which keep the interior and exterior colors separate and provide a clean, white canvas on which to apply more color in the form of mineralized, organic pigments such as glass powder, dust, and frit. These colors then stretch and striate under the ministrations of breath, heat, and gravity to become vessels pulsing with energy and free-form abandon.

     

    Chihuly's passion for color is born out of his mother Viola's extensive gardens and glorious sunsets over Puget Sound. The 2021 Viola Plum Macchia is a landscape of abundant colors with exterior spots and striations of purple, red, blue, and yellow yielding to an interior of deep plum. A low-profile form encourages views of the center, where the exterior colors converge in a kaleidoscopic manner. A steely blue lip wrap complements both the interior and exterior palettes.

     

    "For Chihuly is no formalist; he needs to imply movement and growth. His technical innovations and refinements serve only to provide more options-relating to what he can make glass do and what associations he can suggest to natural phenomenon." -Linda Norden, Dale Chihuly: Glass, 1982

     

    Dale Chihuly's Persian series, which began as an exploration of new forms, serves as a contemporary expression of timeless beauty and a demonstration of wild asymmetry that borders on defiance. Whether presented on pedestals or in large wall or ceiling installations, Persians elicit wonder in their beholders and notions of exotic ancient civilizations.

     

    Rosetta Persian, 2021 Chihuly Studio Edition

     

    Opening in waves of voluptuous rose red, the 2021 Rosetta Persian Studio Edition reveals the molten glass's responsiveness to gravitational pull and gestural manipulation in the blowing process. A thin red body wrap spiraling around the fan-shaped element adds to the dimensional agility of the composition, while the smaller interior element invites introspection. An earthy green lip wrap grounds and defines the tensile scalloped edges of the sculpture.

     

    Dale Chihuly began assembling elements from within a series while developing his Baskets in the 1970s. By nesting smaller elements within larger vessels, Chihuly creates compositions that encourage viewers to look through the walls of the outer form to discover a microcosm of color and transparency. Seaforms, which evolved out of Chihuly's Basket series, continue this exploration of transparency and environment.

     

    "The various glass vessels nestling within each other create a satisfying sense of intimacy and enclosure-they are protective but not defensive; the translucency of glass invites one to look in without feeling that one is invading a private territory." -Robert Hobbs, Dale Chihuly: Objects de Verre, 1986

     

     

    Seagrass Seaform, 2021 Chihuly Studio Edition

     

    The first Seaform Studio Edition composed of three individual elements, Chihuly Workshop's 2021 Seagrass Seaform is a remarkable representation of Chihuly's penchant for assembling distinct forms into one unified vision. The largest element presents a transparent center that directs attention to the brilliant blue "ribs" and kelp green edges, while a smaller form in opaque chartreuse rests within. Echoing the palette of blue and green, a curlicued element winds its way from within the composition to bring balance to the juxtaposed qualities of transparency and opacity. A dramatic red lip wrap on all three elements contributes a vibrant contrast.

     

    Please contact Momentum Gallery with any questions on this work and be sure to visit our website to find images and information on all the Chihuly work currently on display at the gallery.  Feel free to inquire on any Chihuly works you may be interested in, whether or not they are currently at Momentum Gallery.

  • by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Following a two-year construction period, we are thrilled to be opening our two-floor, 15,000-square-foot gallery in a 100-year-old building in downtown Asheville's Broadway Arts District, located at 52 Broadway Street. We are NOW OPEN SEVEN DAYS PER WEEK!

     

    The space on Broadway opens with stunning solo exhibitions by five artist partners. Art enthusiasts will discover brand new collections debuting by several gallery artists including Samantha Bates (painting and textile), Lisa Clague (ceramics), Crystal Gregory (textile arts), Ron Isaacs (trompe l'oeil wood), and Samantha Keely Smith (oil paintings). Momentum announces a new partnership with Chihuly Studios and is honored to present a special collection of Chihuly Studio Editions. New works from a number of other popular gallery artists will be on display, including Mariella Bisson, John Cleaveland, Amber Cowan, Wendy Maruyama, Casey Roberts, Andy Farkas, Joanna Manousis, Alli Hoag, David Ellsworth, Thor and Jennifer Bueno, Ron Layport, Gil Bruvel, Dana Brown, Michael Barringer, and many more. Additionally, a showcase of studio glass artists will be featured, including Western North Carolina's John Littleton and Kate Vogel. 

     

    Momentum presents a sophisticated collection of museum-quality paintings, original prints, sculpture, and unique furniture pieces with an emphasis on material-based work, especially studio glass. 


    The new gallery is spacious, making it easy for simultaneous social distancing and art appreciating. Momentum offers a contactless experience; we have implemented a variety of safety-minded features such as touchless front entry, faucets, and hand dryers, as well as a brand-new HVAC system with integrated UV light "air scrubbers." We will also provide masks and hand sanitizer for the safety and comfort of all guests. The two-floor space is ADA compliant and easily accessible for everyone. For those who cannot visit at this time, we will incorporate a detailed virtual tour on our website in the near future, along with dedicated viewing rooms and artist interviews. Additionally, a limited number of off-hours private tours will be available to those who do not feel comfortable visiting during public gallery hours. To make an appointment, call (828) 505-8550.

  • Momentum Installs Our First Public Artwork

    Hoss Haley's Stainless Steel Ripple adorns the front of 52 Broadway
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Momentum Gallery is thrilled to announce we have installed our first piece of public art in Downtown Asheville! Stainless Steel Ripple by Hoss Haley, a 90-sq.-ft. sculpture that now graces the entryway of our new 52 Broadway location in downtown Asheville, is the first of many works we hope to share with the community. It is Momentum Gallery's belief that public art has the ability to humanize architecture and enliven public spaces.
     
     
    This iconic piece by one of our region's most celebrated makers explores ideas of movement and transparency, a major feat considering its material is not glass, but steel. Two of Haley's large-scale sculptures in corten steel are among recent acquisitions by Charlotte's Mint Museum and Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Art. Hoss Haley is the artist behind other major works in downtown Asheville - the Pack Place (bronze and stone) fountain and (stainless steel) pergola in front of City Hall, two works that draw inspiration from the landscape surrounding Asheville. A solo exhibition of Haley's latest work is currently planned for Momentum Gallery's summer season.
     
    As we settle into our forever home at 52 Broadway, we couldn't be more grateful for the artists we represent and the value they bring to this community. Momentum Gallery is now open by appointment only. The new gallery space will open to the public on March 15th. Please call the gallery at (828) 505-8550 to schedule your appointment. We are looking forward to sharing our new space with you!
     

     

     

  • Crafting America @ Crystal Bridges

    February 6 - May 31, 2021
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Works by two Momentum Gallery artists, Hoss Haley (metal) and Andy Paiko (glass), are featured in a current exhibition at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, AR. Shifra Ahlers comments, "We were thrilled to host Jen Padgett and tour her through Momentum Gallery in May 2019, introducing her to artists and works from our extraordinary collection. And we are so pleased to see our artists' work featured in this exhibition!"

     

    July 2021 – UPDATE:

    Crafting America is currently on view at the Jule Collins Smith Museum, Auburn, AL through September 12, 2021.

     

     

    Hoss Haley, Architectural Coil Maquette

     

    (From Crystal Bridges' website) Crafting America celebrates the skill and individuality of craft within the broad context of American art. From jewelry to furniture to sculptures and more, this exhibition is dazzling and full of surprises.

     

    Featuring over 100 works in ceramics, fiber, wood, metal, glass, and more unexpected materials, Crafting America presents a diverse and inclusive story of American craft from the 1940s to today, highlighting the work of artists such as Ruth Asawa, Beatrice Wood, Shan Goshorn, Nick Cave, and more. Craft has long been a realm accessible to the broadest range of individuals, providing an opportunity to explore personal creativity, innovation, and technical skill. This exhibition foregrounds varied backgrounds and perspectives in craft, from the vital contributions of Indigenous artists to the new skills and points of view brought by immigrants to the United States.

     

    Developed by Jen Padgett, associate curator at Crystal Bridges, and Glenn Adamson, guest curator and scholar of craft, design history, and contemporary art, Crafting America asserts craft's integral role in expanding the story of American art and is accompanied by a major multi-author illustrated publication published by Crystal Bridges and the University of Arkansas Press.

     

    For more information, please visit https://crystalbridges.org/exhibitions/crafting-america/

     

     

  • Hoss Haley

    Master of the Craft
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Hoss Haley, Glacier, Repurposed washing machine skins, 60 x 132 x 24 inches. 

     

    Read this article on Hoss Haley and learn more about him and his work!

     

    From the article:

    Haley compares the artists’ ideal process to children stacking blocks — as they’re building a tower, kids don’t question how high it’ll go: “That’s not on their mind; they’re just responding. And I think we learn our way out of that, and we learn that everything we do has to be with certain intention,” he says. “The goal is to kind of get back to that and say . . . ‘Now I need to get out of the way and let it do what it’s going to do.’ I think there’s a lot [to be said] about just getting out of your own way.”

     

  • John Littleton and Kate Vogel

    Their work debuts at Momentum February 13th, 5-8pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

    John Littleton and Kate Vogel 

     

    Momentum Gallery is pleased to welcome our newest artist partners - John Littleton and Kate Vogel.  Internationally known and highly regarded, the husband and wife team have worked collaborativey for the past forty years, designing and creating some of the most recognizable sculptures in contemporary art glass.  

     

     

    Germination, Cast glass, gold leaf, mica, and fiberglass, 17-1/4 x 7-1/8 x 6-1/2 inches.

     

    An initial collection of unique sculptures from a few of their most iconic series debuts at Momentum's location on Lexington Avenue during the Maltby Sykes opening reception, Thursday, February 13th, 5-8pm. Littleton and Vogel's dramatic ikebana-inspired works combine glass flowers, bronze, and patinaed steel, beautifully-detailed cast hands hold, examine, and offer precious objects, and the meditative and boat-like 'vessels for the soul' suggest the symbolic journey.  Recurring figurative imagery combines with lotus blossoms, faceted gemstones, and other clever pairings that tell a story of discovery, wonder, and reverence.  

     

     

    Vessel for the Soul, No. 2, Cast glass, steel, 10-1/4 x 33 x 9-3/4 inches.

     

    John Littleton and Kate Vogel met at the University of Wisconsin Madison, where they received their Bachelors degrees. Since 1979 they have lived in the mountains of North Carolina where they began their collaboration on blown and cast glass in the studio of John's father, Harvey Littleton. In 1980 they moved to Bakersville, NC where they maintain their home and studio.

     

    Ikebana Inspiration, Glass, steel, and bronze, 54 x 41 x 10 inches.

     

    John and Kate's work is in public and private collections in North America, Europe, and Asia. They have been spotlighted in magazines, newspapers, television, and are featured artists in the film "The Blue Ridge Parkway - America's Favorite Journey" showing at the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center.

     

    We are very proud to be working with John and Kate again and to welcome them into the Momentum family.  

  • Small Works | Big Impact 2019

    Opens Thursday, November 14
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Heather F. Wetzel

     

    This year’s curated exhibition of intimately-scaled works by gallery artists and special guests addresses themes of memory, the passage of time, mortality, and the natural world. Although small in scale, these works have real presence, conveying the sensibility and proficiency of their accomplished makers. Delicate wood feathers, atmospheric landscapes, narrative figurative work, haunting photography, and works addressing climate change come together to form a provocative collection. 

     

    Miriam Carpenter

     

    Small Works | Big Impact is an annual exhibition that affords our clientele the opportunity to discover and acquire exquisite original works by artists new to the gallery.  They are great options for intimate spaces and make unique holiday gifts* – even if you're just treating yourself!  *The gallery will allow purchased works to leave in time for the holidays and plans to introduce new works periodically through the exhibition, which continues into the new year.  Participating artists include: Samantha Bates, Jessica Calderwood, Miriam Carpenter, Rosa de Jong, Ivy Jacobsen, Mark Matthews, Greg Sand, Paul Sattler, David Shingler, Brian Sostrom, Heather F. Wetzel, and more!

     

    Rosa de Jong

    Small Works | Big Impact opens at our 24 N Lexington Avenue location Thursday, November 14th with a reception from 5-8pm.  All are welcome.  Free and open to the public. Additionally, We are thrilled to give back to our community with our first ever HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY! For every guest at the Opening Reception on November 14th, we will donate $1 to Make A Wish Foundation that creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illness! We will also give one lucky visitor an original work by one of the gallery's artists! Your presence is the best present! Help us give generously to Make A Wish and you might win a gift too! Check out our Facebook event for more info!

     

    Greg Sand

     

    Brian Sostrom

     

    Jessica Calderwood

     

    Ivy Jacobsen

  • by Jordan Ahlers

    Mariella Bisson, THE STREAM OF MEMORY, Oil & mixed media on linen, 38 x 60 inches.

     

    Upon seeing Mariella's highly textural landscapes, we just knew they would resonate with our collectors! The artist's process invloves painting watercolors en plein air and having those works become the origin of her collage-based oil paintings. What we didn't know, was that Mariella would love this region so much, that she would be inspired to visit waterfalls around western North Carolina time and again, capturing the colors and geometry of our beautiful area. Collectors have fallen in love with her aesthetic and we have placed works around the country and even beyond our borders. Congratulations to our dear friend for her immense success and selling out her recent solo show with us! We are honored to be her representation!

    Mariella Bisson, 5 TREES, 5 MOUNTAINS, Oil and mixed media on linen, 50 x 38 inches.

     

    New works have already been received here at our downtown Asheville art gallery and Mariella's book, Setting Shapes, is currently available for sale for $25. Highlighting recent works in addition to significant paintings created over the past decade, Setting Shapes examines the behind-the-scenes of each piece, providing insight into the inspiration and process.  With studio shots, drawings, and history lessons, the book allows you to experience the paintings to their fullest extent and appreciate the energy and contemplation behind them.

    Mariella Bisson, HIKERS BRIDGE, Oil and mixed media on linen, 38 x 60 inches.

  • by Jordan Ahlers

    We are proud to share that Momentum Gallery artist partner, Amy Gross, recently completed a series of nine wall mounted showdowbox works for the US Embassy in Papua New Guinea. Gross notes, "They're a merging of my vocabulary and the native plants, birds, plants, fungi, and sea life of Papua New Guinea. It's a fascinating place, and the subtropical nature there was such a strange combination of familiar and completely new to me, a symptom of my living in a place where much of the nature comes from somewhere else." The works are framed at 10 x 10 x 3 inches/each. Congratulations, Amy!

     

    Here are some images of some individual works and the overall collection.

     

  • Momentum Gallery at Hamilton Hill

    THIRD FRIDAY DURHAM - OPEN UNTIL 8pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Momentum Gallery at Hamilton Hill (MG@HH) is open late for THIRD FRIDAY DURHAM! On Friday, November 15th, visit MG@HH, located at 905 W Main St, Durham, North Carolina, until 8pm!

     

    Hamilton Hill Jewelry, located in Brightleaf Square, and Asheville-based Momentum Gallery, are parterning to provide the Durham and Triangle area new access to museum-quality artwork.  Hamilton Hill, a boutique-style jewelry store focusing on modernist designers, continues its mission of nearly twenty years while adding visual arts to its offerings. We opened MG@HH to much fanfare just two months ago and the partnership is already off to a great start! There's still time to catch our initial collection featuring nine prominent NC artists' work along with paintings by Momentum artist partners Michael Barringer, Casey Roberts, and Ron Isaacs! We're replacing works as they sell, and before Thanksgiving, MG@HH will have a special, small collection of small works in conjunction with the show in Asheville!  Both can be seen through the end of the year. Join our Facebook event!

     

     

     

     

  • Asheville Art Museum Ribbon Cutting

    Wednesday, November 13th, 1-1:30pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    On Wednesday, November 13 from 1-1:30pm, all are invited to the Asheville Art Museum for the official Ribbon Cutting ceremony of the new facility! The museum will be open that day free of charge from 1-6pm. The new building is a celebration of our arts community, with high tech features and a warm atmosphere. Congratulations to Pam Myers, the staff and volunteers of the Asheville Art Museum, and our entire community! The museum's displays rotate through their collection, so you'll want to become a member and revisit often! Also, our friends Tony and Matthew of Food Experience provide sumptuous treats (and cocktails!) in the cafe! 

     

     

     

     

  • SOFA 2019

    Momentum Gallery returns to Chicago in early November
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Gil Bruvel

     

    Momentum Gallery is pleased to announce we will once again be a participating exhibitor at SOFA 2019.  The Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design (SOFA) Fair in Chicago is the premier gallery-presented art fair dedicated to three-dimensional art and design.  

     

    Garry Knox Bennett

     

    Once again, Momentum Gallery will present a diverse collection of work in a variety of media.  This year Momentum's booth will include studio furniture by acclaimed artists Garry Knox Bennett and John Dodd, monumental steel sculpture by Hoss Haley, contemporary painted wood by Gil Bruvel, trompe l'oeil dresses by Ron Isaacs, and exquisitely designed work by Thor & Jenifer Bueno (glass), Jeannine Marchand (ceramics), and Crystal Gregory (textile).  The gallery is also proud to include new sculptural  wood work by masters of the medium – Christian Burchard, Ron Layport. and David Ellsworth.  

     

    Ron Isaacs

     

    Critically acclaimed and continuously running since 1993, what distinguishes SOFA from other top art events is its focus on three-dimensional artworks that cross the boundaries of fine art, decorative art and design. SOFA is noted for its exceptional presentation, with an elite selection of international dealers presenting for sale one-of-a-kind masterworks in handsome, custom-designed gallery exhibits. SOFA is held annually in the fall at Chicago's major destination, Navy Pier, with an average of 80 dealers and 35,000 people attending. 

     

    Thor & Jennifer Bueno

     

    With a strong educational emphasis, SOFA CHICAGO includes an acclaimed lecture series and special exhibits exploring the artworks on view and surveying new trends in the art world. A VIP program includes exclusive events tailored to high-profile gallery clients and collector/museum groups. SOFA has evolved into a dynamic international marketplace and community – a confluence of perspectives where art, design and people intersect.

     

    For your complimentary digital VIP Tickets (70) use the link and enter code: VIPMOM
    For your complimentary digital General Admission Tickets (50) use the link and enter code: GAMOM

     

    Opening Night Preview
    Thursday, October | 31   5 - 9pm
    VIP Ticket Holders Only

    General Admission
    Friday, November 1 | 11am - 7pm (10 - 11am VIP hour) | All Ticket Holders
    Saturday, November 2 | 11am - 7pm (10 - 11am VIP hour) | All Ticket Holders
    Sunday, November 3 | 12 - 6pm | All Ticket Holders

     

    Location

    Festival Hall, Navy Pier
    600 East Grand Avenue
    Chicago, IL 60611

  • Momentum at Hamilton Hill – Satellite Gallery opens in Durham

    Third Friday in Durham, September 20th, 6-9pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

    ASHEVILLE GALLERY EXPANDS WITH “MOMENTUM AT HAMILTON HILL”

    SATELLITE GALLERY IN DURHAM – FIRST SHOW OPENS FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th, 6-9PM

     

    Hamilton Hill Jewelry, located in Brightleaf Square, and Asheville-based Momentum Gallery, announce a partnership to provide the Durham and Triangle area new access to museum-quality artwork.  Hamilton Hill, a boutique-style jewelry store focusing on modernist designers, will continue with its mission of nearly twenty years while adding visual arts to its offerings. The partnership with Momentum Gallery commences with a reception during Third Friday Durham on September 20 when Hamilton Hill will debut original 2-D and 3-D works by several notable artists from North Carolina and beyond. Please join us from 6-9pm! All are welcome. 

     

    The initial Momentum at Hamilton Hill collection will consist of recent works in a variety of media by several premier North Carolina artists including Thor & Jennifer Bueno (blown glass); Hoss Haley (fabricated steel); Bill Hall (minimalist collage); Anne Lemanski (original prints); and Jeannine Marchand (abstract ceramic sculpture).  The inaugural collection will also feature works by artists Michael Barrringer (paintings); Ron Isaacs (trompe l’oeil constructions); Casey Roberts (cyanotype paintings); and Michael Enn Sirvet (powder-coated aluminum sculpture). Artwork will be refreshed quarterly and exhibitions showcasing individual or paired artists are planned.

     

    Hamilton Hill Jewelry offers one of the finest and most exclusive selections of designer jewelry found in the U.S.  With the addition of selling fine art curated by Momentum, owner Sarah Hill and founder Michael Hamilton are realizing a dream as both consider art their avocation and once considered pursuing curatorial roles and museum work.  It is their shared passion for art and design that has inspired their jewelry choices and influenced Hamilton Hill’s gallery-like decor and environment. Seeking design excellence, style variety, and a broad price range, Hamilton Hill curates the best in contemporary jewelry from the US, Europe, South America, and beyond.  Jewelry includes modernist platinum, high-karat gold made with ancient techniques, naturalistic sterling silver, sleek stainless steel, and even rubber and aluminum jewelry.  

     

    Hamilton Hill's mission is To Serve and Delight, making them the perfect partner for Momentum Gallery. We are delighted to welcome you and look forward to serving you at our new satellite location in Durham! 

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers

     

    This summer we installed a new Air Conditioning system at Momentum Gallery on Lexington Avenue! Some of you may recall we are located in a building that's about 100 years old – which has tremendous character, but can also present some challenges... Last year our air conditioning unit provided some respite from the heat – but not nearly enough! With our brand new system in place, we love hearing visitors say, "wow, it's so cool in here!" We agree! 

  • by Jordan Ahlers

    We are so proud of all our artists!  Read about the fantastic work of Momentum Gallery's artist partner Amy Gross in the lastest issue of luxe. interiors + design magazine (Palm Beach | Broward edition) and see some of Amy's most recent work at the gallery in our contemporary foliage-themed exhibition, A New Leaf, September 12 – November 9, 2019.  

     

    Amy Gross in her studio working on Flora Heredita. The work appears in our foliage-themed exhibition, A New Leaf  (September 12th, 2019 to November 9th, 2010)

     

    Momentum will also feature several of Amy's mixed media pieces at SOFA Chicago, October 31 – November 3, 2019.  Please contact the gallery for complimentary tickets to attend the international art fair, held annually at Navy Pier.  

     

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers

     

    We were thrilled to find Maltby Sykes' Fireworks highlighted as the Asheville Art Museum's Artwork of the Week! Check it out!  https://www.ashevilleart.org/work-of-the-week/work-of-the-week-fireworks/

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers
  • GIVE ME WOOD

    Opens June 27th 5-8pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Give Me Wood is a mind-blowing collection of contemporary painting, sculpture, and studio furniture unlike anything Asheville has seen. Central to the identity and creation of all the extraordinary two- and three-dimensional works in the exhibition is the common material of wood.  The exhibition celebrates the Asheville debut of several innovative artists.  Please join us for the Opening Reception of Give Me Wood on Thursday, June 27th, from 5-8pm at our downtown Asheville art gallery located at 24 N Lexington Avenue. Drinks and refreshments will be provided. All are welcome. This event is free and open to the public. 

     

     

     

    Give Me Wood includes three works from Wendy Maruyama’s recent EO9066 series. The series refers to Executive Order 9066, which authorized the internment of tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese ancestry. It also led to the establishment of internment camps that housed 120,000 US citizens forced to remain there until the end of WWII. Sadly, some of these same internment camps are now being reinstated for migrant children.  

     

     

     

     

    The exhibition also introduces renowned furniture maker and American Craft Fellow, Garry Knox Bennett. It’s been said Bennett, “combines enormous talent for sculptural form with unique genius for finding beauty in unconventional objects.” Bennett’s innovative work exhibits meticulous craftsmanship and articulates the artist’s sense of humor and robust spirit.  

     

     

     

     

     

    Other notable works in Give Me Wood include Gil Bruvel’s dynamic sculptures of faces formed of painted sticks, Tom Eckert’s marvelous, veiled trompe l’oeil sculptures, Michael Alm’s constructions depicting woodland animal cross-sections, Sylvie Rosenthal’s wood skull and marbled stop watch, and exciting new works by Momentum Artist Partners Christian Burchard, David Ellsworth, and Ron Layport.  The exhibition continues through Labor Day at our Lexington Avenue location.

  • by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Mariella Bisson’s tranquil and dynamic oil-over-collage paintings feature built-up texture, suggesting the complex surface of stone and tree bark, lichen, and moss.  Mariella will be at Momentum Gallery for the opening of her show as we welcome a dozen never-before-shown paintings, all of which were inspired by local waterfalls and landscapes from the area, including scenes from Pisgah National Forest to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Let’s celebrate the region’s beauty with a refreshing take on contemporary landscape paintings!

     

    In addition to Bisson’s solo show, her brand-new book, Setting Shapes is available for sale for $25.

    Highlighting recent works in addition to significant paintings created over the past decade, Setting Shapes examines the behind-the-scenes of each piece, providing insight into the inspiration and process.  With studio shots, drawings, and history lessons, the book allows you to experience the paintings to their fullest extent and appreciate the energy and contemplation behind them.

     

  • Save the Date – Thursday, June 27

    Summer Exhibitions Open at Momentum Gallery
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Thursday, June 27, from 5-8 pm Momentum Gallery, located at 24 N Lexington Avenue, hosts an Opening Reception for the following new collections, coming in for the summer: Mariella BissonSetting Shapes; New Work by Lisa Clague & Paul Sattler, and the sensational invitational Give Me Wood, featuring stimulating, contemporary sculpture and paintings that share wood as the central material. These exhibitions continue at 24 N Lexington Avenue, our downtown Asheville art gallery, through the end of August. More details to follow in our next newsletter!

     

    Mariella Bisson deftly delineates the sculptural planes of regional waterfalls and sylvan scenes creating refreshingly contemporary landscape paintings.  Her oil-over-collage paintings feature built-up texture, suggesting the complex surface of stone and tree bark, lichen, and moss. Bisson's paintings demonstrate a strong understanding of formal composition and reflect a sensibility honed from time she's spent immersed in the outdoors. Of note, Bisson is a two-time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner grant and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in painting. 

     

    Lisa Clague is an internationally known sculptor. She has been the recipient of the North Carolina Arts Council Fellowship and the Virginia Groot Foundation Grant. Clague’s dreamlike ceramic and mixed media figures are elegant and mysterious.  While a psychological component is evident, many of Clague’s works suggest the relationship between mankind and the natural world.

     

    An accomplished oil painter, Paul Sattler was a recipient of the John R. Solomon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. In 2004, he was selected to exhibit at the 179th Annual Invitational Exhibition of Contemporary Art at the National Academy of Design in New York, where he received the Wallace Truman Prize. Dramatic narratives unfold in his charged and enigmatic oil paintings which reference historic and literary sources. Sattler comments, “A diverse population of animals are enmeshed in my works’ human-inhabited environments, theatrical locales, and domestic dramas.”

     

    Give Me Wood is an imaginative and evocative collection of contemporary painting and wood sculpture. Central to the identity and creation of all the extraordinary two- and three-dimensional works in the exhibition is the common material of wood. The participating artists defy logic, explore space (both real and imagined), carve, bend, turn, and otherwise construct some truly amazing and innovative work! Featuring Garry Knox Bennett, Gil Bruvel, Christian Burchard, Tom Eckert, David Ellsworth, Ron Layport, Wendy Maruyama, Jason Middlebrook, Sylvie Rosenthal, Dan Webb, and more. 

     

  • Recognizing Amy Gross

    Selected as Finalist for 2019 Southern Prize
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

     

    Please join us in congratulating Momentum Gallery inaugural artist Amy Gross as the finalist (second place) for the prestigious 2019 Southern Prize, a fellowship which recognizes and celebrates the highest quality artwork being created in the American South! Based on the sole criterion of artistic brilliance, Amy was chosen as the finalist from a pool of more than 800 applicants by a national jury.  Her imaginative and refined, hand-embroidered and beaded fiber sculptures "suggest not only what can be seen, but also what cannot: the early alterations of time, the first suggestions of disintegration." More can be read about Amy's work and the fellowship here.

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Imagine our delight when we saw Bryce Lafferty's work featured in Hi-Fructose Magazine! We were so pleased that they included a number of works currently appearing in our In the Landscape and Of the Landscape exhibition (March/April 2019). Lafferty's elaborate drawings in watercolor and gouache take us on a journey of discovery, eluding to the story behind the geology and inner connections within the landscape. 

  • Tim Tate invited to Glasstress

    International glass survey during Venice Biennale
    by Jordan Ahlers

    We are excited to announce that Momentum Gallery artist, Tim Tate, has been selected to participate in the sixth edition of GLASSTRESS, an international collateral event of the Venice Biennale investigating the relationship between contemporary art and glass.  Each artist was invited to explore ‘how glass redefines our perception of space’, which, for those of you who are familiar with Tim’s work, describes his groundbreaking and conceptual glass pieces perfectly. Other artists invited to participate include Ai Weiwei, Tony Cragg and Thomas Schütte.  Debuting in 2009, GLASSTRESS aims to revive the traditional craft of Murano glassblowing by creating new unions with internationally renowned artists. It has since become an unmatched platform demonstrating innovative and cutting-edge works in glass. Representing the United States, Tate's contribution to this prestigious exhibition is Endless Cycle, an infinity mirror Momentum Gallery was honored to show. Referencing gun violence, this provocative piece will surely garner a lot of attention worldwide. To read further, please visit the Washington Glass School’s website here.  Congratulations Tim Tate! We are so proud of you! 

  • Vote for Momentum Gallery

    Best of WNC – Mountain Xpress Poll
    by Jordan Ahlers

    We hope you agree that Momentum Gallery is the Best Local Art Gallery in Asheville! Vote hereYou must register and vote in 30 categories in order for your vote to count, so here are some suggestions. We appreciate your support! 

     

    M O M E N T U M     G A L L E R Y

    Local Art Gallery
    Store that Represents the Spirit of Asheville 
    Business that Represents the Spirit of Asheville 
    Best Customer Service 
    Craft Oriented Gallery
    Local Asheville attraction
    Party Venue
    Place to take Your Eccentric Friends

     

    Some other suggestions for local artists:

    Best Ceramic Artist: Lisa Clague or Jeannine Marchand
    Best Metalsmith: Hoss Haley 
    Best Woodworker: David Ellsworth 
    Best Painter/Illustrator: Andy Farkas

     

     

     

  • Artist Talk and Reception

    In the Landscape and Of the Landscape
    by Jordan Ahlers

    William Henry Price, The Dawn Chorus, Acrylic on panel, 20 x 16 inches
     

    Please join us for an

    Artist Talk and Reception

    In the Landscape and Of the Landscape

    Jennifer Bueno | Bryce Lafferty | William Henry Price

    Sunday, March 31 st, 
    3:00–5:00 pm (Artist Talks begin at 3:30 pm)

    Jennifer Bueno, Air Pollution Over China, Watercolor, hot-sculpted glass, copper, wood, 
    60 x 96 x 8 inches
     

    We hope you will join us this Sunday afternoon for a special reception and informal artist panel, offered in conjunction with The Collider's Climate City Expo. Meet the three artists featured in the current exhibition: In the Landscape and Of the Landscape  at Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Avenue in Downtown Asheville.  Each artist will speak individually about their work, followed by an open discussion citing shared influences and overlapping themes they explore, and an opportunity for Q&A. Beverages and light refreshments are offered. This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome.

     

    Bryce LaffertyMegaflora, Watercolor and gouache, 40 x 51 inches

  • Jennifer Bueno

    Featured in the Laurel of Asheville Magazine
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Thanks to the Laurel of Asheville for featuring Momentum Gallery artist, Jennifer Bueno, in the March issue of the magazine. Check out this article on Jennifer - and then come and see her work in our current exhibition, In the Landscape and Of the Landscape, up at Momentum Gallery in Downtown Asheville through April 27th, 2019. 

     

    Jennifer also appears on an Artist Panel at a Gallery Reception on Sunday, March 31st, from 3-5pm, at 24 N Lexingotn Avenue. Come meet the artist and enjoy a drink with us! We look forward to seeing you! 

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers

    Bryce Lafferty, West (The Tree of LIfe), watercolor & gouache, 46 x 94 inches

     

    On Thursday, February 28th, Momentum Gallery opened two new exhibitions with three artists featured in each show. In the Landscape and Of the Landscape and Vernacular both feature regional artists whose work is influenced by the world around them. 

     

     Jennifer Bueno, Mississippi and Kazakstan in the Same Time, glass, 24 x 60 inches

     

    In the Landscape and Of the Landscape

    Jennifer Bueno | Bryce Lafferty | William Henry Price

    Three regional artists draw inspiration from nature, creating imaginative and intuitive works that respond to environmental conditions, explore unseen interconnections, and incite investigation.  

     William Henry Price, Astarte, 42 x 52 inches

    Three artists convey their wonderment with the natural world and allude to its unseen, inner workings. Through abstract expression, imaginative cross-sections, and works that depict satellite views of our planet, they take viewers on a journey of discovery and introspection. Dimensional blown glass and mixed media works, emotive paintings, and original drawings attempt to reveal the impermanent and transient nature of things as well as the consequence of Man’s presence in the landscape.

     

     

    Vernacular

    Phil Blank | David C. Robinson | Sasha Schilbrack-Cole

    Narrative paintings, original prints, and ceramic sculpture by three regional artists reference subjects such as faith, race, and identity in the South. 

     

     Phil Blank, The Bean Kings, watercolor, gouache, ink

     

    Sasha Schilbrack-Cole, Comforted, but not for longetching, 8 x 6 inches

     

    David C. Robinson comments, “I hope to encourage the viewer to reflect on the not-so-distant past and to perhaps invite a reexamination or reevaluation of one’s own prejudices and assumptions associated with race, religion, and cultural differences. There is something almost mythical about the deep south that is every bit as dark, powerful and timeless as a Greek tragedy or as absurd, complex, and ironic as a Shakespearean comedy.”

    David C. Robinson, Question of Faith, ceramic

  • Jeannine Marchand

    featured in WNC Magazine
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Image courtesy of WNC Magazine

     

    The sensual curves of Jeannine Marchand's unglazed ceramic Folds Series have delighted visitors to Momentum Gallery since we opened our doors in October 2017.  Since then, the gallery has taken Marchand's distictive work to art fairs in Chicago and Miami placing pieces in several major collections.  WNC Magazine recently caught up with the ceramist to discuss her process and inspiration. The full article can be seen here.

     

    Jeannine Marchand is one of Momentum Gallery's original artist partners.  Her understated and elegant works–framed (and unframed) wall sculptures, vessels, and dramatic free-standing sculptures can always be seen at Momentum Gallery.  We are proud to work with some of the region's most talented makers!

  • Anne Lemanski

    featured in Asheville Made
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Image courtesy of Asheville Made

     

    Anne Lemanski is one of the local makers profiled in the current (February 2019) issue of Asheville Made magazine.  One of Momentum Gallery's original artist partners, Lemanski was one of six artists the gallery represented at CONTEXT Art Miami last December.  For CONTEXT, Lemanski made one of her most ambitious pieces to date, a life-size tiger standing on a 32 inch diameter ball! The sculpture, Tigress T1, was named after a tiger in India that made news while Lemanski was working on it.  Tigress T1 features an impressive "skin" composed of kaleidoscopic photographs of plastic drinking straws.  Lemanski quite deftly hand-stitched adjoining panels ensuring continuity to the mosaic pattern over the surface of the multi-faceted piece.  An image of Tigress T1 and the Asheville Made article can be seen here

     

    Lemanski's tiger, a blue shark, and a rabbit may be seen along with the artist's prints at Momentum Gallery's Lexington Avenue location.  We hope you'll stop by to see this amazing artist's work!

  • Cristina Córdova

    featured in Asheville Made
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Image courtesy of Asheville Made

     

    It is a privilege to work with such amazing artists!  Asheville Made magazine recently featured local superstar, Cristina Córdova, on their cover!  Cordova's work can be seen at a number of museums including Charlotte, NC's Mint Museum and the Racine Art Museum in Racine, WI.

     

    From Racine Art Museum's website... "Córdova has become nationally known for her large-scale figurative sculptures. Because they are representational, her works suggest to viewers some form of narrative or a literal story. However, upon closer examination, her figures express a wide range of emotions for they are much more personal in meaning and open to multiple interpretations. 

     

    "Córdova was a dancer throughout her youth and her figures demonstrate an understanding of stance, gesture, and body language that is almost theatrical. The artist remembers studying statues of saints in Catholic church, while attending services with her family as a child. She was struck by the emotions expressed by these figures but also their hand gestures, body positions, and the drape of their robes. Some of Córdova's sculptures recall the openness of devotional statuary as their glistening eyes and open faces invite one's gaze. At the same time, her works challenge the viewer, as if the subject has been interrupted in a moment of thought or reflection.

    "Córdova was born in Boston to parents who were studying in medical school, but spent her childhood in their native Puerto Rico once her parents had completed their studies. She received her BA degree at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez in 1998 and her MFA in Ceramics at the New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University in 2002. In 2003, she entered a three-year residency at the Penland School of Art in North Carolina and has remained in the community since then."

     

    Cristina Córdova's two-headed piece "Arco" received a lot of attention in Momentum Gallery's latest installment of Small Works | Big Impact, an annual exhibition of smaller scaled pieces by visiting and represented artists.  You can read the Asheville Made article here.

  • ARTIST TALK: Pam Longobardi

    Friday, February 1st, at 5PM at 24 N Lexington Avenue
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Pam Longobardi’s Drifters Project, an exhibition of photography and installations made from ocean plastic, draws to a close at 24 N Lexington Avenue at the end of this month. It has been a real privilege to share her work with you, and we’re excited to welcome Longobardi for a closing reception/gallery talk/book signing on Friday, February 1st, at 5PM. This event is free and open to the public. The artist will talk about her experiences with refugees in the Mediterranean and her work that addresses the environment, climate change, and humanitarian issues. Light refreshments will be served during this Artist Reception and Book Signing. We hope to see you there. 

     

    Longobardi’s artwork involves painting, photography, and installation to address the psychological relationship of humans to the natural world. She has exhibited her artwork across the US and in Greece, Monaco, Germany, Finland, Slovakia, China, Japan, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Costa Rica and Poland. She currently lives and works in Atlanta and is Professor of Art at Georgia State University. Presently she drifts with the ongoing Drifters Project, following the world ocean currents. With the Drifters Project, she collects, documents and transforms oceanic plastic into installations and photography. The work provides a visual statement about the engine of global consumption and the vast amounts of plastic objects and their impact on the world’s most remote places and its creatures. Longobardi’s work is framed within a conversation about globalism and conservation. Longobardi participated in the 2013 GYRE expedition to remote coastal areas of Alaska and created project-specific works for the exhibition at the Anchorage Museum February 2014. Longobardi was featured in a National Geographic film on the GYRE expedition and her Drifters Project was featured in National Geographic magazine. Also in 2013, Longobardi created a site-specific installation for a special project of the Venice cultural association Ministero di Beni Culturali (MiBAC) and the Ministry of Culture of Rome for the 55th Venice Biennale, on the Island of San Francesco del Deserto in the Venetian Lagoon, a work made from plastic water bottles, mirrors and a satellite dish that signaled an apology to St. Francis across the lagoon to the island of Burano. She exhibited photography in Seescape at George Adams Gallery in New York, and won the prestigious Hudgens Prize (2013), one of the largest single prizes given to an artist in North America.  She has an ongoing collaboration supported by the Ionion Center for Art and Culture in Metaxata, Kefalonia, Greece. In 2014, Longobardi was awarded the title of Distinguished University Professor, and has been named Oceanic Society’s Artist-In-Nature.

     

    About Drifters Project, Longobardi comments:

    “In 2006, after discovering the mountainous piles of plastic debris the ocean was depositing on the remote shores of Hawaii, I began collecting and utilizing this plastic as my primary material in my project called Drifters.  Since then, I have made scores of interventions, cleaning beaches and making collections from all over the world, removing thousands of pounds of material from the natural environment and re-situating it within the cultural context for examination. These collection missions were originally done solo, as part of my process, but soon grew to encompass thousands of people in hundreds of global sites.  I approach the sites as a forensic scientist, examining and documenting the deposition as it lay, collecting and identifying the evidence of the crime.

    Plastic objects are the cultural archeology of our time.  These objects I see as a portrait of global late-capitalist consumer society, mirroring our desires, wishes, hubris and ingenuity.  These are objects with unintended consequences that become transformed as they leave the quotidian world and collide with nature to be transformed, transported and regurgitated out of the shifting oceans.  The ocean is communicating with us through the materials of our own making.  The plastic elements initially seem attractive and innocuous, like toys, some with an eerie familiarity and some totally alien.  At first, the plastic seems innocent and fun, but it is not.  It is dangerous.   We are remaking the world in plastic.

    In keeping with the movement of drift of these material artifacts, I prefer using them in a transitive form as installation.  All of the work can be dismantled, reconfigured but nearly impossibly recycled.  The objects are presented as specimens on steel pins or wired together to form larger structures.  I am a conceptual artist with a strong affinity to materials and process.  I was trained as a painter and printmaker, and continue this in my studio practice, but have always worked in varying mediums from photography to painting and collage to installation, allowing the ideas to dictate the materials I work with.  I am interested in the collision between nature and global consumer culture. Ocean plastic is a material that can unleash unpredictable dynamics.  I am interested in it in particular, as opposed to all garbage in general, because of what it reveals about us as a global culture and what it reveals about the ocean as a type of cultural space, as well as a giant dynamic engine of life and change.  As a product of culture that exhibits visibly the attempts of nature to reabsorb and regurgitate this invader, ocean plastic has profound stories to tell.”

  • Momentum on Broadway is Opening!

    Celebrate with Us: Thursday, November 15th, 6-9pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

    We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new space, Momentum on Broadway! On Thursday, November 15th, from 6-9pm, join us for grand opening! Located at 52 Broadway Street, the opening of our new downtown Asheville art gallery brings more of the intriguing work you have come to love! New artists, new works, and a brand new space will all be highlighted during this celebration! All are welcome! Please join us!

     

    Momentum Gallery hosts a special reception to celebrate the highly-anticipated opening of its new space located at 52 Broadway Street in downtown Asheville, Momentum on Broadway, on Thursday, November 15th, 6-9pm. A number of Momentum’s Artist Partners plan to be in attendance. The reception is free and open to the public. 

     

    Ron Isaacs, Couple, No. 17, acrylic on birch plywood construction, 8 x 8 x 1 inches.

     

    This event marks the official unveiling of the first phase of renovation, for a 4000-square-foot space on the ground floor of the historic, three-story building Momentum acquired earlier this year. Clean lines and a brighter, more open venue await visitors who were familiar with the space previously occupied by Stuf Antiques. Momentum Gallery intends to continue upfitting additional square footage in the building over the coming months while maintaining locations on both North Lexington Avenue and Broadway Street.

     

    Kate MacDowell. Memento Mori 2, Slip cast and hand built porcelain, glaze, 4-1/2 x 5-1/2 x 4-1/2 inches.

     

    Select works by Momentum Gallery artists occupy the new space along with two exhibitions which also open November 15thSmall Works, Big Impact and Casey Roberts – Cyanotype Paintings. The former is an annual curated collection of paintings, sculpture, and mixed media works by gallery artists and special guests. Emotive ceramics, surreal painting, intricate glass curiosities, embroidered foliage, and memento mori come together in a provocative collection of intimately-scaled works by familiar and new gallery artists. Although small in size, these works are nonetheless powerful, conveying the vision and prowess of their accomplished makers and taking on themes of mortality, natural phenomena, and discovery. The exhibition features new works by Samantha Bates, Cristina Córdova, Amber Cowan, David Ellsworth, Hillary Waters Fayle, Amy Gross, Alli Hoag, Ron Isaacs, Kate MacDowell, Kit Paulson, Lawrence Tarpey, and more. 

     

    Casey Roberts, Moon Lit (River Without End), Cyanotype on paper w/ collage, 37 x 47 inches.

     

    The gallery is thrilled to announce the Asheville debut of Casey Roberts with a one-person exhibition to open the new space on Broadway. Dreamy and contemplative – Roberts’ large-scale cyanotype paintings on paper depict a variety of domestic and wilderness subjects which evoke a still and wonderous world.  Subjects the artist often revisits include trees, water, animals, and sky. About these works, the artist comments, “there is an intuitive wisdom in nature.” Through his thoughtful use of silhouettes and selective color, Roberts’ ethereal works, profound in their simplicity, tap into our longing for connection through nature. 

     

    Jordan Ahlers is fulfilling his vision of two decades to elevate the Asheville art scene with the opening of Momentum on Broadway. Already a cornerstone in the downtown gallery district, Momentum Gallery (and now Momentum on Broadway) add to the expanding cultural offerings Asheville is currently enjoying. We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, November 15th! Have a drink with us - beer, wine, champagne, and craft cocktails by Troy & Sons will be provided!

  • Amy Gross on Colossal!

    What an honor!
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Check out Amy Gross' interview on Colossal! Amy creates hand-embroidered and beaded sculptures that are beautiful and full of life - and yet they are created from all man-made materials, so there is no decay!

     
    "I do not collaborate with the nature that fascinates me, the myriad of visible and invisible interactions that lie at the heart of every insect, bacteria, tree, and spore. I collaborate with manufacturing. I use no found objects, nothing was ever alive." - Amy Gross

     

    https://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/11/symbiotic-assemblages-by-amy-gross/

  • Pam Longobardi - The Drifter's Project

    Exhibition at 24 N Lexington Ave through January 31, 2019
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Pam Longobardi, ONE WORLD OCEAN (ANTHROPOCENE HYPEROBJECT)
    Ocean plastic recovered from international waters, 99 x 88 inches
     

    Pam Longobardi's The Drifter's Project, was recently installed at Momentum Gallery's 24 N Lexington Avenue location, as part of photo+sphere (November 7-11)an Asheville city-wide event focusing on how we see the environment and the role humans play in determining the future of our planet. This innovative festival features nationally known speakers, panelists, exhibitions, films, and special projects at venues throughout Asheville, NC. (www.photoplusavl.com) The solo exhibition is a powerful statement and will run though January 31, 2019. 

     Pam Longobardi, BROKEN BOATS, Archival pigment print , 27 x 40 inches

    Longobardi's exhibition is an emotional response to her work cleaning plastic out of ocean waters worldwide. Her installations speak to the environmental devastation that plastic and other pollutants make on our world. As a scientist, Pam logs her excursions and photographs to catalog her experience. These photos are presented, in addition to her large scale art installations, to demonstrate her findings. 

    Pam Longobardi, SIGNAL FLAGS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE 

    18 flags made from recovered life vests from Lesvos, Greece; thread and wood
     

    Pam comments: "I was trained as a painter and printmaker, and continue this in my studio practice, but have always worked in varying mediums from photography to painting and collage to installation, allowing the ideas to dictate the materials I work with.  I am interested in the collision between nature and global consumer culture. Ocean plastic is a material that can unleash unpredictable dynamics.  I am interested in it in particular, as opposed to all garbage in general, because of what it reveals about us as a global culture and what it reveals about the ocean as a type of cultural space, as well as a giant dynamic engine of life and change." 

     Pam Longobardi, ISLAND REFUGE VII, Defunct & devalued currency collage and paint, 13 x 16 inches

     

     

  • Drew Galloway

    Beloved Artist and Friend
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Drew Galloway

    October 20, 1964 – September 18, 2018

    Jordan Ahlers with Drew Galloway, October 20, 2017 in front of Drew's painting, Still Life

     

    We are mourning the loss of our dear friend, Andrew Kirklyn Galloway. It was an honor to represent Drew Galloway, open Momentum Gallery with him, have him join us for our debut event, and celebrate his birthday with him in Asheville last October. It was our privilege to present Drew’s work in Miami this past February at the international fair Art Wynwood and host his final exhibition, a pairing in the spring with wood sculptor, Christian Burchard. Drew was one of the first artists to join Momentum; he was excited to be a part of this new venture, and more recently about the new space we’re upfitting on Broadway. 

    Celebrating Drew Galloway's last birthday at Momentum Gallery, October 20, 2017

     

    We had a number of conversations over the years about painting (his as well as other artists’ work), the business of art, and life in general. Drew appreciated connecting on a personal level. He always showed genuine interest and had thoughtful inquiries about my kids and our family’s traditions. He was an intellectual who didn’t lose sight of compassion and empathy. He was a special soul.

     

    Drew was intrigued by nature and music. Although he was already a gifted painter, he had the gumption to immerse himself in the rich history of Giverny, where Monet found inspritation. He spent months learning, living, and painting in the same town as the impressionist. He absorbed the scenery of France and imbued it in his creations. 

     

    Drew Galloway, Across the Pond, Oil on metal, 36 x 48 inches

     

    Drew earned a BFA from Atlanta College of Art. He held a lifelong fascination with the overlooked and often underappreciated charm he found in everyday places and things. “Championing ordinary beauty that we get immune to as adults,” he once said. Drew’s practice of late focused on landscapes rendered in oil on found sheets of metal. He’d incorporate the natural patina of the metal (rust, oxidation, etc.) and, in some cases, only a third or half of the painting’s surface was covered in paint at all! Intricately detailed renderings, Drew cropped in on reflections of trees or sky on the surface of water to the extent that they felt like abstract compositions, despite essentially being photo-realistic. Still, Drew said, “It’s not about being bogged down by details, but capturing feeling, memory, and the essence of a place or a person.” 

     

    He will be missed. 

    Drew Galloway, September Song, Oil on tin, 36 x 48 inches

  • Momentum on Broadway

    Construction Update
    by Jordan Ahlers

    We are asked daily about our upcoming move to Broadway. Curiousity often surrounds the timeline of the move and commentary includes how excited people are about our new space! We are grateful to our clients, supporters, and friends so interested in our plans and want to take this opportunity to share a quick update. 

    As many of you have heard, our new gallery space will unfold in several phases over the coming months.  The current timeline includes an intial relocation this fall, to begin establishing Momentum Gallery's new and permanent home at 52 Broadway Street, next to Mellow Mushrooom. Contractors are working diligently to get us into the space as soon as possible. Partitions are up, and the space for Phase 1 has begun to take shape in the section of the historic building that previously housed Stuf Antiques.  Clean lines define dramatic open areas as well as intimate spaces with work stations that are at once accessible and set back.  Sheetrock is nearing completion and the space will be painted next week. The flooring and some other minor cosmetic work still need to be addressed, though we anticipate these items progressing quickly.

    We will certainly announce (through our Facebook page and other social media) once we're in the space and begin to install artwork. Keep in touch with the most up-to-date information by liking Momentum Gallery Asheville on facebook, and stay tuned for unfolding details. Thank you for your interest and support!  

     

     

  • New Mariella Bisson Nature Landscapes at Momentum Gallery!

    Collages and Mixed media works available
    by Jordan Ahlers
    Recent oil and mixed media works depicting scenic landscapes from Mariella Bisson have just arrived at Momentum Gallery! We are thrilled to work with Mariella and present her newest watercolors, oils on linen, and other collage based works to you! Mariella recently said, "oil painting is a classic time-honored technique requiring patience, color balancing, and the matching of my palette to the specific landscape I have studied. I transform my direct experience into art in order to bring the beauty and power of nature to my audience and collectors." Bisson's will be one of five featured artists in our upcoming group exhibition, Transformation: Earth, Water & Wood, opening Thursday, August 30th. Some of the work is available for pre-sale now.  
     
    Mariella Bisson, Summer Falls Panorama, Oil and mixed media on linen, 34 x 74 inches
     
    Mariella Bisson visited North Carolina earlier this year on an expedition of inspiration for these paintings.  She has spent time soaking up energy outdoors and actively engaged in the studio to complete new, dramatic works for our upcoming show. Of her work showing at Momentum, Mariella shared, "Asheville is evolving into a major destination for fine arts, for artists and collectors. This confluence of craft and art is bringing about a renaissance, creating a new vortex of discussion, debate and artistic achievement. I believe in the importance of art-making based in skill and thoughtful consideration. Asheville is surrounded by magnificent landscape destinations, superb hiking trails and thrilling waterfalls. I am very happy to be finding such a receptive audience for my paintings in Asheville." Visit the art gallery in downtown Asheville for a preview of Bisson's recent works on paper and her oil and mixed media paintings. All of Bisson's available work can be seen here: https://momentumgallery.com/artists/34-mariella-bisson/works/ 
     
    Mariella Bisson, Big Bradley Falls, Oil and mixed media on linen, 38 x 50 inches
     
    Mariella deftly delineates the sculptural, geometric planes of her subjects. She has a strong sense for composition, and her take on the landscape is refreshing and contemporary. Stylized and highly textural, Bisson's works convey a thoughtful sensibility clearly developed from time the artist has spent immersed in nature. Her scenes of stone, water, and woods in her signature style has been captivating a new audience in North Carolina since Momentum opened last October. Of note, Mariella Bisson is a two time recipient of the Pollock-Krasner grant and was awarded a New York Foundation for the Arts fellowship in painting. 
     
    Mariella Bisson,You Can't Step into the Same River Twice, Mixed media on paper, 12 x 16 inches
     
    Momentum Gallery is incredibly honored to represent Mariella Bisson and are pleased to offer you a preview of her newest creations. Come by the gallery at 24 N Lexington Avenue!

     

  • Enter our Raffle to Win a Therman Statom Original Print!

    Therman Statom's Vitreograph, Frankincense, ed. 25/50
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery is pleased to announce a fundraiser for the Center for Craft! We will be raffling an original vitreograph by glass pioneer, Therman Statom, titled "Frankincense" (signed and numbered by the artist, unframed) and all proceeds will benefit the Center for Craft, a non-profit committed to advancing the understanding of craft by encouraging and supporting research, critical dialogue, and professional development in the United States.   

     

    Therman Statom's "Frankincense" is a colorful vitreograph, a print made from etched glass plates, created with Harvey Littleton (known as the Father of Studio Glass) in Western North Carolina, at Littleton Studios. The print depicts various imagery, including a buddha, a heart, and a feather.

     

    Tickets are on sale now through August 15th and may be purchased at our downtown Asheville art gallery, located at 24 N Lexington Avenue, or by telephone at 828-505-8550. 


    Ticket Prices are as follows:
    $30/ 1 ticket
    $50/ 2 tickets
    $100/5 tickets

     


    Therman Statom, Frankincense, ed. 25/50. Vitreograph from glass plates, 30 x 24 inches. Signed, 1999.

     

    All tickets will be labeled with the purchaser's name and entered in a sealed box. A representative from the Center for Craft will choose the winner on August 15th at 6pm. The winner need not be present at the time the name is selected. Once the winner is notified, the unframed print may be picked up or will be shipped as per the winner's request.

    In conjunction with the Summer of Glass, Momentum Gallery, in downtown Asheville, is pleased to present a collection of works by contemporary glass pioneer, Therman Statom. Featured works include translucent shadow boxes constructed from sheet glass, screen-printed with various imagery and combined with found objects; a large-scale painting of two playing cards within a plate glass shadowbox with found objects entitled Summer Queens; a solid cast-glass house; and works on paper (vitreographs done at Harvey Littleton's studio in Western North Carolina). Frankincense is available for purchase at the gallery during this show, which runs through August 25th, 2018.

    Therman Statom (b. 1953) is an artist whose primary medium is sheet glass. He cuts, paints, and assembles the glass - adding found and blown glass objects - to create three-dimensional sculptures. Many of these works are large in scale. He often utilizes sound and projected digital imagery as features in his work. He is best known for his painted ladders, houses, and chairs, and glass boxes.

    Statom studied glass at Pilchuck Glass Center, received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, and holds an MFA from Pratt Institute of Art and Design. He has taught at Pilchuck and the University of California, Los Angeles. He has also received commissions for countless large-scale installations, including those at the Los Angeles Central Public Library and the Toledo Museum of Art.

    Statom has also focused on the importance of educational programming within the arts. He regularly holds workshops for children and adults to create handmade art and to effect positive social change within the community.
    Momentum Gallery will be selling tickets for this special unframed and matted print, edition 25/50, and the proceeds will benefit the Center for Craft. This fundraiser is open to all ages and we will not discriminate against any person. Momentum Gallery, the Center for Craft, and any other affiliates do not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, age, height, weight, physical or mental ability, veteran status, military obligations, and/or marital status.

  • What are those glass terms anyway?

    Some Glass Terminology
    by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Our Summer of Glass shows, Reflections and GLASS PIONEERS: Therman Statom Dale Chihuly, include works made utilizing a variety of techniques by contemporary glass sculptors across the country. We are thrilled to be exhibiting such incredible glass artists in our downotwn Asheville art gallery. Some have said "it is the best glass show Asheville has ever seen."

     

    Everyone loves to see the exquisite work, but some people want to have a deeper understanding. In case you'd like to brush up on your glass vocabulary, the Corning Museum of Glass has an insightful list of terminology with pictures and definitions: 

     
     
  • Artist Jennifer Halvorson Appears on This is Colossal!

    Jennifer's work will be shown in our upcoming show, Reflections, opening July 1st
    by Jordan Ahlers
    Jennifer Halvorson, Perfect Influence, Blown glass, tatted lace, found objects, 9.5" x 9" x 6"
    Jennifer Halvorson, Perfect Influence, Blown glass, tatted lace, found objects, 9.5" x 9" x 6"

    Check out Jennifer Halvorson's work on This is Colossal! Momentum Gallery is thrilled to be showing Jennifer's work as part of our upcoming Summer of Glass Show, titled Reflections, opening July 1st, 2018. 

     

    http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/06/vintage-canning-jars-jennifer-halvorson/

  • by Jordan Ahlers

     

    Momentum Gallery is pleased to participate in the First Friday Gallery Art Walk in Downtown Asheville. The first friday of every month, Momentum hosts guests from 5-8pm with beer and wine and stimulating conversation. Stroll through the gallery, meet some of our artists, and enjoy your evening with us! We are thrilled to be a part of the downtown Asheville art gallery association! 

  • Artist Reception with Michael Enn Sirvet

    Friday, June 8th, 4-7pm, Artist Talk at 6pm
    by Jordan Ahlers

    SirvetMeet Sculptor Michael Enn Sirvet on Friday, June 8th, from 4-7pm at Momentum Gallery, 24 N Lexington Avenue, in Downtown Asheville. Michael will present an Artist Talk at 6pm. Drinks and light refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to the public. All are welcome. This event is presented in conjunction with a three person abstract exhibition at Momentum Gallery, including artists Michael Barringer, Jeannine Marchand, and Michael Enn Sirvet.

    Sirvet wood

    Michael Enn Sirvet, MAPLE GALE II, Maple hardwood & clear acrylic base, 28 x 29 x 5-1/4 inches

     

    Michael graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in structural engineering and an overflowing fascination with science, the arts, nature, and the patterns that bind them together. Employed by one of the leading engineering firms in the world, Michael worked on such structures as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Falling Water, The Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, and the National Museum of American History.
    red ball

    Michael Enn Sirvet, RED SHADOW SPHERE, Powder-coated aluminum, 28 x 28 inches

     

    For more than a decade, Michael has been producing sculptural artworks using metals,hardwoods, plastics, clay, stone, and paper. He continues to travel to the remote and fascinating places of the earth to immerse himself in the wonders of nature. Upon his return, he combines them in his studio with the science and mathematics which influences and shapes the artwork he creates. Michael Enn Sirvet is a highly accomplished sculptor whose work can be found in major collections throughout the world.

    rain mirror

    Michael Enn Sirvet, ROUSSEAU RAIN MIRROR, Aluminum, 26 x 44 x 1 inches

     

    “I strive to capture the primitive beauty within familiar forms, to interpret their underlying architecture and their place in time and space, and construct a bridge between those simple icons and complex ideas. Inspired by the geometry inherent within the chaos of nature, and the technology and industry
    which I use to mimic them, I create archetypal structures which are at once static and dynamic, organic and industrial, intricate yet tranquil.

    “My hope is that the simple intricacies of my abstracted, purified forms and assemblages will invoke recognition and impart the wonder that I feel for nature. That I use industrial materials and methods to create enduring artworks that appear organic, delicate and ephemeral is an embedded irony when considering the effects of man's technological and industrial development upon nature and our environment. However, I feel that passion and the creative ability to turn the industrial and plain into beauty is a sign of the surest hope.” 
    – Michael Enn Sirvet

    orange obscura

     

    Michael Enn Sirvet, SUNSET OBSCURA, Powder-coated aluminum, 85 x 23 inches

  • Broadway Cultural Festival - May 5th, 3-9PM

    How cool is this? Hope to see you there!
    by Jordan Ahlers

    Momentum Gallery in downtown will be taking its place in a new and permanent location at 52 Broadway in the coming months. Momentum Gallery, along with new neighbors the Center for Craft, Creativity and Design, Black Mountain College Museum, Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR), Mora, and The Satellite Gallery join to create the Cultural Gateway to the City of Asheville through the Broadway Arts District. This creative corridor to the city of Asheville welcomes visitors and residents alike to the vast array of community partners pioneering to create a sustainable and culturally-rich downtown. Welcoming all forms of the arts through local public radio, museums, galleries, jewelers, and committed citizens, the Broadway Arts District is defining the downtown landscape through its collective undertaking to increase awareness for the arts in Western North Carolina.

     

    Saturday, May 5th, Creative Intervention will be taking place! Here is a link to the Facebook event:

    https://www.facebook.com/events/178461079471954/

     

     

    Press release from MountainTrue: 

    Have you ever experienced the gritty charm of downtown Asheville’s largely undiscovered Carolina Lane? Perhaps you are more familiar with its more famous cousin, Chicken Alley? On May 5, these alleyways and nearby streets will host a Creative Intervention – that is, a one-day event that prototypes design interventions and art-based solutions that shift how the public interacts with urban spaces.

    The event is free and open to the public. It is one component of the Broadway Cultural Gateway project, an effort to transform Broadway Street into a central artery for a vibrant arts and cultural district stretching from its intersection with Woodfin Street to the cultural attractions of Pack Place.

    Saturday, May 5
    3:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
    Creative Intervention Event
    Broadway Cultural Gateway Study Area:
    Broadway Street to N. Lexington, Walnut Street to Woodfin

    The Asheville Design Center (ADC), the Center for Craft, UNC Asheville students and faculty, UNCA STEAM Studio, Asheville Downtown Association, and League of Creative Interventionists, among others, will activate the study area to engage the public around what’s possible. For example, the Center for Craft will host a pop-up makerspace and ‘repair cafe’ in its Carolina Lane-facing basement, along with a temporary parklet in front of the Broadway Street entrance.

    “We believe that Asheville’s future is largely dependent on the health of our creative sector and its relationship to the built environment,” says Stephanie Moore, Executive Director of the Center for Craft. “We are thrilled to be working with the such a strong team of community partners, including ADC, to prototype potential future scenarios on May 5th. The event is an opportunity to creatively engage the community for input and ideas, which will inform a broader community vision for the neighborhood,” says Moore.

    Activities include:
         • art installations and live performances by UNC-Asheville students and faculty Temporary Pop-up Makerspace & ‘Repair Cafe’ at the Center for Craft, including interactive activities offered by Center for Craft, Penland School of Crafts, UNCA STEAM Studio, Horse & Hero, Roots & Wings, Asheville Makers, Diamond Brand, Echoview Fiber Mill.

    • “Ghost Signs” Historic Tour with Jack Thomson of the Preservation Society of Asheville & Buncombe County

    • LEAF Easel Rider Van
         • Blue Ridge Public Radio pop-up cafe
         • Buchi Kombucha
         • Asheville Buskers Collective
         • American Myth Center

    The May 5 Creative Intervention Event is an opportunity for the public to experience the potential of a “creative intervention” to transform difficult and unexpected public spaces. ADC’s team of design and planning experts will collect community feedback and data from the event to inform both a long-term implementation plan for the Broadway Cultural Gateway project.

    “As part of this design experiment, we’re keeping Carolina Lane open to cars and trucks. The alley is used for parking, to access private garages and by delivery drivers and garbage trucks,” explains Chris Joyell, director of the Asheville Design Center (a program of MountainTrue). “That’s not going to change, so it’s important for us to test how pedestrians and vehicles can safely share the same place.”

     

    https://mountaintrue.org/event/creative-intervention-event/

  • Opening Reception Sunday, March 11, 5-8pm

    Pairing of Gallery Artists: Bill Hall | Maltby Sykes & Christian Burchard | Drew Galloway
    by Jordan Ahlers
    Opening Reception Sunday, March 11, 5-8pm

    Sunday, March 11th, from 5-8pm, Momentum Gallery, in downtown Asheville, opens two new exhibitions pairing gallery artists. Local printmaker Bill Hall makes his Asheville gallery debut in a show that plays his graphic works off those of the late Maltby Sykes (1911-1992), while landscape paintings on found metal by Drew Galloway are presented with works by renowned wood sculptor, Christian Burchard. These two Duos run through April 28, 2018.


    Master printer Bill Hall worked with several well-known artists including Helen Frankenthaler, Jim Dine, and Chuck Close during his 30-year career with Pace Editions in New York. Hall’s recent original prints combine aquatint with collage in graphic, minimalist compositions that play with the viewer’s perception of depth, while nuanced surfaces created from organically scratched copper plates provide visual interest to the work.

     

     

    Bill Hall, Flipped, Aquatint etching with dry point, collage 14 5/8 x 24 5/8 inches

     

    Hall’s prints complement vintage lithographs and mezzotints from the 1950s and 60s by Modernist Maltby Sykes (1911-1992). Revered by generations of students, Sykes was Professor Emeritus of Printmaking at Auburn University, where he taught for many years. Having trained with John Sloan in New York, Diego Rivera in Mexico, and André Lhote and Fernand Léger in Paris, Sykes conquered diverse printmaking techniques and sophisticated subject matter inspired by his travels, mythology, and world events during his lifetime.

     

     

    Maltby Skyes (1911-1992), Caterpillar, Mezzotint, 8 x 18

     

    Drew Galloway creates his signature painterly works on asymmetrical applied sheets of metal. This unique canvas provides patina and texture, adding depth to his masterful ability to paint reflections of light, trees and sky in pools of rippling water. A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Galloway attended the Alabama School of Fine Arts, Memphis Academy of Art and received his BFA at the Atlanta College of Art in 1987.

     

     

    Drew Galloway, September Song, Oil on tin, 36 x 48 inches

     

    Nationally recognized for his artistic achievements, Galloway has exhibited extensively throughout the Southeast, where his works are in numerous public, private and corporate collections. Complementing the natural movement in Galloway’s paintings, is the work of Christian Burchard, a master wood sculptor born in Hamburg, Germany, now living and working in Oregon. 

     

     

    Christian Burchard, Baskets 18 parts, Pacific madrone burl

     

    Burchard uses green, unpredictable wood from the Pacific Madrone burl, which naturally warps and twists, changing shape as it dries, making his final forms unique and nearly impossible to replicate. His works can be found in the permanent collections of over 30 prestigious museums across the country.

     

    An artist reception for both Duo exhibitions (Hall/Sykes & Burchard/Galloway) takes place at Momentum Gallery on Sunday, March 11 from 5-8 p.m. In keeping with the duo theme, the refreshments at the reception will include thoughtful pairings of craft beer/wine and cheese. This event is free and open to the public.

     

     

     

  • Join us for a New Year's Eve Party

    New Year's Eve Opening Reception December 31st, 2017, 5-8pm
    by Jordan Ahlers
    New Year's Eve Reception 5-8pm. Free & Open to the Public.
    New Year's Eve Reception 5-8pm. Free & Open to the Public.
    Momentum Gallery is hosting a New Year's Eve Opening Reception for two new shows. Small Works/Big Impact and Andy Farkas open on December 31st, from 5-8pm. We will have live music by Byrdie & the Mutts, light refreshments, and a festive atmosphere. This family friendly event is free & open to the public. Hope to see you then! Wishing you a fantastic new year! 
     
     
    Andy Farkas is appearing in our Feature Gallery. His original wood engravings and moku-hanga prints integrate animal imagery and poignant expressions in handset type. 

    Small Works/Big Impact: Experience and expressions concentrated in a collection of intimately-scaled works by multiple artists including Michael Barringer, Samantha Bates, Mariella Bisson, Thor & Jennifer Bueno, Christian Bruchard, Lisa Clague, David Ellsworth, Vicki Grant, Crystal Gregory, Amy Gross, Hoss Haley, Ron Isaacs, Jeannine Marchand, Maltby Sykes, and Lawrence Tarpey.

     

  • by Jordan Ahlers
    Happy Holidays!

    Happy holidays from Momentum Gallery! We hope this season brings you the gifts of contentment, joy, peace, and love. We are grateful to our staff, artists, clients, and friends for the immense support and look forward to seeing you in the coming weeks. 

     

    Our holiday hours are:

    Sunday,    December 24         12pm - 4pm

     

    Monday,   December 25         CLOSED, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

     

    Sunday,    December 31          12pm - 8pm, New Year's Eve Opening 5pm-8pm

     

    Monday.   January 1                 12pm - 6pm, HAPPY NEW YEAR!