In the wake of Hurricane Helene’s devastation across WNC, we at Pink Dog Creative are deeply saddened by the impact on our beloved community. We are grateful that our building on Depot Street sustained only minimal damage and that everyone is safe.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the dedicated volunteers, emergency responders, and contractors who are working tirelessly to support those affected.

Now more than ever, we need your support to help keep the River Arts District a vital, vibrant, and creative place to live, work, shop, eat, and visit. Please consider supporting the artists who are returning to work in the RAD and at Pink Dog Creative.

We’re here, we’re open, and we’re creating. Together, we can rebuild and revitalize our community.

Thank you for your continued support.

Randy Shull and Hedy Fischer are creating a colorful sensation on Depot Street in Asheville’s River Arts District. The former textile manufacturing and warehouse building at 342-348 Depot Street has been transformed into an exciting mix of artist studios and retail spaces.

Pink Dog Creative shares the neighborhood with New Belgium & the Wedge Breweries, 12 Bones Smokehouse and hundreds of local artists. Pink Dog has 33 artists working in their studios, GRIND Coffee Bar, and Fresh West Wood Fired Pizza. Pink Dog raises funds and awareness for people and organizations working to make our communities more equitable and just, including Southside Rising, Youth Artists Empowered and the Edington Center, among others.

Open Hours: Artists work odd hours but we have our studios open for the public most days from 11–5. 
We’re thrilled that Pink Dog Creative was chosen to represent Asheville in this stunning short film.

Ongoing Exhibitions & Artist News

The Art of Recovery–
Hammers And Bags: Rising through the Layers of Tragedy Over Old Wounds

Pink Dog Gallery
Opening reception December 7, 2024 at 5:00 PM
December 7, 2024–January 4, 2025

The Art of Recovery exhibit brings together youth artists from local organizations Hood Huggers International and Umoja Health, Justice and Wellness Collective, pairing them with adult artists, curator Destro, DeWayne Barton, Millad Nooraei, Michael Hayes, Jenny Pickens, Ant of All A Dream Darkroom, Elizabeth Lashay of
Slay The Mic Multimedia, and instructors at UNCA’s STEAM Studio. This show, hosted by Pink Dog Creative, a beloved gallery and artist work space in Asheville’s highly impacted River Arts District, platforms perspectives from Asheville’s Black community, exploring how youth and adults are moving on from the storm, and offering a space to meditate on what a just and resilient recovery from Helene could look like. The Art of Recovery is a multimedia exhibit which will include photographs, sculpture using reclaimed materials, fiber arts, animation, painting and sound installation, among others. The exhibit has received support from Asheville Creative Arts and an Arts AVL ‘Arts Build Community’ Grant. 
Subtitled Hammers And Bags: Rising through the Layers of Tragedy Over Old Wounds, The Art of Recovery acknowledges that even before the storm, many of Asheville’s Historically Black communities were facing cultural erasure and erosion. It asks: how do we include all in the rebuilding process? It does so through sculptures which incorporate materials which had been salvaged from the RAD prior to the storm; a mural created by the Burton Street Community under the guidance and vision of artist Jenny Pickens, interviews with youth from the Burton Street Neighborhood, and photographs of damage and recovery captured by youth artists, among existing artworks previously displayed at Creatives Under Instruction, an exhibit held at UNCA’s New Media Gallery in June of this year.
The gallery at Pink Dog Creative is open to the public Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00pm – 3:00pm starting December 7, 2024 and ending Saturday, January 4, 2025. There will also be an opening and closing reception celebrating – and accepting funds for – the artists and lead community based organizations who made the event
possible on Saturday, December 7, 2025 and Saturday January 4, 2025 from 5-7pm. Select works will be available for sale.

All proceeds will benefit the youth
artists and relief efforts spearheaded by Hood Huggers International and Umoja Health, Justice and Wellness
Collective.
About the Participating Organizations:
Hood Huggers International (HHI) uses the CAP framework which helps identify cooperative ambitions, celebrate and maintain connections, and builds accountability through a variety of community-centered projects at the intersections
of economic development, environmental and social justice, and creativity. https://hoodhuggers.com/
Umoja Health, Justice and Wellness Collective is a Black-run, grassroots nonprofit disrupting generational trauma & incarceration by teaching resiliency, building community, peer based recovery & healing through the arts. https://
www.umojahwj.org/
All a Dream Darkroom is led by Father/photographer Ant, this local photographer can be booked for regular photoshoots, weddings, animal photography, and street photography. https://alladream.darkroom.com/#
Slay the Mic Multimedia was founded by Elizabeth Lashay. The mission of STM Multimedia Company is to provide a source of information, music, and entertainment while celebrating culture, community, and creativity by amplifying and
empowering voices through our creative content studio, edutainment programs, and digital and on-air platforms https://stmmultimedia.com/
Asheville Creative Arts is Asheville’s critically acclaimed, award-winning theatre devoted to creating works for children of all ages, which was founded in 2013. The company produces, presents and creates innovative works for multigenerational and multiethnic audiences. “Ostensibly, ACA produces children’s theater, but the company’s ambitious works appeal to both youths and adults.” – Mountain Xpress. https://ashevillecreativearts.org/
UNCA STEAM Studio brings together Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) in an educational space at the River Arts Makers Place (RAMP), engaging the next generation of makers, engineers, artists, and
entrepreneurs, who work side-by-side with faculty and staff experts experienced in all facets of the creative process. https://steamstudio.unca.edu/
Arts AVL Arts Build Community Grant has been available since 2018, and supports innovative, arts-based projects that inspire diverse groups of participants to be more active, involved, and civically-engaged by creating together.

Fresh West Pizza Update

Fresh West Wood Fired Pizza is temporarily closed due to Hurricane Helene and is undergoing renovations. Fresh will reopen in early 2025 to serve the delicious wood-fired pizzas we’ve all missed.Chester (Jeremy) Oland and his wife Caitlin, who manage Fresh West Woodfired Pizza, narrowly escaped with their lives (and dog, Darla) when winds from Hurricane Helene knocked a multitude of trees onto their house, with devastating results. The couple are staying with a friend for the meantime. Funds will be used to sustain Chester and Caitlin during this time when they have no source of income as well as the many expenses associated with recovering from this disaster.

Please click here to help Chester and Cailtin.

Pink Dog Creative Artists Updated Weekly Open Hours

Lynn Bregman Blass and Sarah St. Laurent– Tuesdays–Sundays 12–4
Heather Divoky– Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays 12–5
Liz Hosier– Thursdays–Saturdays 11–3
Majik Studios– Tuesdays–Saturdays
Joseph Pearson– Mondays–Saturdays 12ish–4:30
Pat Phillips– Thursdays–Saturdays 12–4
St. Claire Art– Thursdays–Tuesdays 10–5, Sundays 11–3
Studio A and IpsyDoodles- open most afternoons
Cindy Walton– Wednesdays–Saturdays 11–4
Noël Yovovich– reopening December 1

After the storm…

Our beloved Pink Dog Creative is a project that Randy Shull and Hedy Fischer founded in 2010 in the fledgling River Arts District. The building has dodged Hurricane Helene and the wrath that she left in her wake. Many of our neighbors are not so fortunate. Seventy-five to eighty percent of studios and buildings have been completely devastated- some have washed away completely. The community is coming together to help those who have lost their studios and businesses.

WAYS TO HELP

The River Arts District community is working to restore the creativity and inspiration of our beloved River Arts District. Our goal is to assist our artists as best we can with rent and supplies. The only way this is possible is with your support.

Please click here to donate to for flood relief for artists.

Jewels of the Southern Coast

New photography book by Tim Barnwell

Photographer and author Tim Barnwell has a new book out, Jewels of the Southern Coast: Architectural Gems of Charleston, Savannah and Beyond. The book includes 130 full page black-and-white photographs, made over the past 20 years along the South Carolina and Georgia coast. It highlights the beautiful, historic buildings of coastal towns including civic, governmental, religious and residential structures. Also included are landscape images to set the scene. A brief history of the area with an emphasis on its architecture is included in the Introduction by Robert Salvo. The new book, along with Tim’s seven other titles, are available at his studio, Suite 106, or by calling 828-251-0040, or on his website at www.barnwellphoto.com.

Randy Shull Honors Ukraine

Pink Dog Creative, 342-348 Depot Street

Randy Shull Honors Ukraine, the newest Container Project by Randy Shull at Pink Dog Creative, was painted on March 5. Visitors are encouraged to take selfies in front of the artwork and post using hashtag #standwithUkraine in support of Ukraine.

Learn more about past Container Projects here.

Fundraisers for Ukraine at Studio A

Suite 100

Andrea Kulish, a first generation Ukrainian-American, is raising funds to help Ukraine. At Studio A, Stand With Ukraine stickers, handmade items from Ukraine, pysanky eggs and more are available for purchase by donation. 100% of funds collected are being donated to the UNWLA Humanitarian Aid Fund for Ukraine, which goes directly to four hospitals to help wounded soldiers and civilians, and to aid displaced civilians in Ukraine. Andrea also co-organized and co-hosted an online benefit concert. Click here to watch the concert.

Follow Andrea on Instagram for more of her fundraising updates.

Pink Dog Creative accepted into the Blue Ridge Craft Trails

Pink Dog Creative has been accepted to be part of the Blue Ridge Craft Trails. The artists of the building and the building itself will be featured on maps, website and other materials from this non-profit.

Learn more here.

Duke Hospital acquires Randy Shull painting

Raleigh, NC

Duke Hospital acquires Periwinkle by Randy Shull, 2021, 90″ x 70″ for its new Raleigh location. Thanks to Marjorie Hodges with Artsuite; Leigh Bleecker, CEO of Duke Hospital, Raleigh; Dia Holman, Facilities Design Coordinator at Duke Hospital and Tracey Morgan Gallery.

See more of Randy’s work at his website.

Welcome GRIND Coffee Bar and Co-Working Event Space

346 Depot Street, Asheville

Asheville’s first Black-owned coffee shop, GRIND is a place for coffee. It’s also a place for co-working, events, team meetings, business decisions and hanging out enjoying the best coffee in town. GRIND is located at 346 Depot Street and will be open 7 days a week.

For more information call The Grind at 828-785-0233, email [email protected], read the article in Urban news or visit GRIND’s website.

Support GRIND and other Black-Owned Businesses year-round at: https://www.websiteplanet.com/blog/support-black-owned-businesses/

In Love’s Shadow Featured in The Bitter Southerner

In Love’s Shadow, a short documentary film about Ralph Burns and his multi-decade photography project, How Great Thou Art, is showcased in a recent issue of The Bitter Southerner. The film, made by Jethro Waters, follows Burns as he returns to Graceland on the 40th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, and looks at the relationship of this project to Burns’ fuller body of work. In Love’s Shadow was produced by David Raymond, and was made possible with the generous support of many.

Link to film and article: bittersoutherner.com/in-loves-shadow

Joseph Pearson and Jenny Pickens Lead Artists for Asheville Black Lives Matter Mural

Joseph Pearson and Jenny Pickens were Lead Artists for the Asheville Black Lives Matter Mural. On Sunday, July 19, 20+ artists came together to create this mural in the heart of downtown Asheville. Many thanks go to Councilwoman Sheneika Smith for providing the leadership to bring community members, artists, and the Asheville of City together to create this community project.

Read more about the artists and mural here.

Andrea Kulish Artwork Acquired by Pysanka Museum

Kolomyia, Ukraine

Pink Dog congratulates Andrea Kulish as the Pysanka Museum in Kolomyia, Ukraine acquires three of her pysanky eggs for their permanent collection. The museum will be launching their first-ever exhibit dedicated to the pysanka artists of North America. This historic exhibit will present how traditional pysanky writing was preserved in North America by waves of immigrants and enthusiasts, and how the artform has grown to include innovative techniques, methodology and creativity.

Visit the museum’s website to learn more.

VIVIAN Wins 2019 Best Restaurant of the Year Award

Congratulations to VIVIAN restaurant for winning the 2019 Asheville Food Fan Award for Best Restaurant. This is the second year in a row that VIVIAN has won this honor.

Read more about VIVIAN and make a reservation at their website.

 

Ralph Burns Photographs Acquired by North Carolina Museum of Art

Raleigh, NC

A suite of twelve vintage photographs by Ralph Burns has been acquired by the North Carolina Museum of Art. The photographs, all from Burns’ three decades long project, How Great Thou Art, Memphis, TN, 1978 – 2007+, were acquired in December, 2019, and will be held in the museum’s permanent collection.

In writing about How Great Thou Art for a European/British exhibition, the German/Israeli Curator Doreet LeVitte Harten wrote that “(his) insight into the religious character of the Graceland pilgrimage makes Burnsʼ works, apart from their aesthetic qualities, into documents of anthropological significance.”

With this latest acquisition, the North Carolina Museum of Art will have 16 of Burns’ photographs in their collection.

See more of Ralph’s work at his website.

Randy Shull’s Open Space acquired by

Congratulations to Randy Shull as the Asheville Art Museum acquires Open Space. Shaping negative space with a combined artistic and mathematical precision, Shull explores the boundaries and intersections between furniture and fine art. In Open Space, sculptural components comment on the relationship between furniture and art as well as their implications when occupying a shared environment. Considering furniture to be an equalizer among people in its ubiquity and daily utility, Shull encourages us to not only reconsider our personal rapport with furniture but also the ways in which we navigate our world.

See more of Randy’s work at his website.

Hedy Fischer appointed to Art21 Board of Trustees

Hedy Fischer, co-founder of Pink Dog Creative, has been named to sit on the Board of Trustees of Art21. Art21 provides unparalleled access to the artist’s voice to diverse audiences around the world, using the power of digital media to introduce millions of people to contemporary art and artists. For over two decades, Art21 has changed the paradigm for teaching and learning about the creative process.

In addition to its Peabody Award-winning PBS-broadcast television series Art in the Twenty-First Century, Art21 produces the digital film series New York Close Up and Extended Play; as well as special artist projects. Art21 also creates educational resources and professional development programs; annual public programming; an online publication featuring guest contributors; and a comprehensive website at Art21.org.

Community Container Project in The Laurel

Pink Dog Creative’s Community Container Project was recently featured in The Laurel. Connection was a theme for Trinity Harper Pierce as she created her work. “If you don’t love your community, there are lots of things that could happen that could be bad, like more violence and heartache,” says Pierce. “It’s sad to see families lose loved ones to violence.” Pierce says creating art helps her feel calm and express herself, and seeing her art on such a large scale gave her lots of emotions. “I feel a little bit nervous because I have never done anything like this and I am excited at the same time,” she says. “I hope that when people see the mural that their hearts grow bigger than the heart in the middle.”

Read the full article at The Laurel website.

VIVIAN wins Best New Restaurant and Best Restaurant in the 2018 Stoobie Awards

Congratulations to Vivian restaurant for winning not one, but two awards in the 2018 Stoobie Awards. Vivian won Best New Restaurant and Best Restaurant. Vivian is “an insanely great restaurant, and a brilliant new jewel in the crown of high-end dining establishments that currently rings our city.” – Stu Helm

Click here to read about Vivian and the other winners at the Stoobie Awards website, and here to see Vivian’s menu and make a reservation.

Vivian receives Best New Restaurant Award

Vivian is honored to receive a “Best New Restaurant” award from Mountain Xpress Best of WNC Awards for Asheville in 2018. Vivian would like to thank all their wonderful guests who voted for their nomination in this category; they look forward to serving you many more delicious meals!

Learn more and make a reservation at Vivian’s website.

Pink Dog Creative and 22 London Featured in Burnaway article

Pink Dog Creative, 22 London, and the upcoming exhibit Say It Loud at 22 London were all mentioned in a new article in Burnaway, The Voice of Art in the South. The article is entitled How Did Asheville Make the List of 40 Most Vibrant Arts Communities in America? by Diana Stoll.

Read the full article at burnaway.org here and the original research findings about the 40 Most Vibrant Art Cities here.

Dining review: RAD’s Vivian grows from Salt & Smoke

An excerpt from the article: “Vivian feels as though it’s been operating for years. Its cuisine is clearly defined, and the warm hospitable approach to the service helps makes the restaurant a success… Vivian set out to meld southern and European cuisines in an elevated way, and it succeeds. ”

Read the full article here.

Randy Shull work acquired by Spartanburg Art Museum

Spartanburg, SC

Pink Dog congratulates Randy Shull as the Spartanburg Art Museum acquires Striped Reflection, a recent piece from his reflection series that explores the relationship between painting and furniture. Fundamentally, Shull says the work is about pairing and relationships.

See more of Randy’s work at his website.

Viola Spells featured in the Mountain Xpress

Viola Spells was featured in Mountain Xpress article Two Local Artists Follow Their Passions in the RAD by Alli Marshall.

Read the article here.

Fresh West Pizza in the Mountain Xpress

Read Liisa Andreassen’s interview of the owner of FRESH West- Quick Dish: Q + A with Mark Tomczak of FRESH Wood Fired Pizza in the Mountain Xpress – read the article here. 

10 Top U.S. Cities for Art Lovers: Asheville

Pink Dog Creative is the feature photo for a “Top 10” article on AARP!

Read more at AARP Travel online.

Asheville, North Carolina is unlike anywhere else in the South

“[Asheville’s] singular mix of worldliness and hominess gives it a character unique among cities below the Mason-Dixon line.”

“A visit to the emerging River Arts District felt more my speed. A string of converted industrial buildings along the French Broad river, it’s now home to working artists in spaces that New York creatives would give both arms for. It’s impossible to categorize the talent here, but in just a few hours, I met abstract-animal painter Daniel McClendon (349 Depot St., danielmcclendon.com) and record producer-turned ceramicist Akira Satake (191 Lyman St., akirasatake.com), whose airy workshop houses his wife’s exquisite pastry shop, Yuzu Patisserie (191 Lyman St., yuzubycynthia.com).”

Read more of this article at the NY Daily News.