Art Scouting in North Carolina

I didn't have a ton of time to look at art while I was out of town last week, but the two stops I did make were extremely fruitful! Here's a peek at some pieces I was loving at the Haen Gallery in Asheville:

 I'm newly obsessed with these geometric wood pieces by Melinda Rosenberg, of Ohio. My mother and I found ourselves maybe overanalyzing the pieces, talking about all the time represented in each piece of wood...many decades, and possibly more than a century in each board. Paired with the intriguing shapes and the paint lightly applied, the sculptures seemed both ancient and futuristic. I want one real bad.

 I loved the blurry vibrancy of the figures in Ursula Gullow's painting "Ice-Skaters." The colors and scene are so happy; I can imagine a child just getting lost in this painting.

 Equally whimsical and fun was Emily Wilson's sculpture made of painted wood called "Warbler's Reach." It belongs in a children's library or in the lobby of a fabulous preschool.

 My mom and I couldn't get over the layers and layers giving these ethereal paintings by Marci Crawford Harnden such depth. They looked like they'd been through Instagram filters, but were actual paintings. The technique was so impressive.

On our way home, I was getting sleepy and decided I needed to walk around for 20 minutes and wake up a bit. I saw a billboard for the Cedar Creek Gallery in Creedmoor, NC and thought it might be a good stop. It was a little bit tucked off the main roads, but once I arrived, it was clear this is a destination for handmade goods, most especially an amazing array of pottery. Here are some of my favorites I spotted:

 I had to grab some candles...I'm a sucker for gorgeously colored tapers.

 I loved the pearly polka dots of Evelyn Ward...

 And the perfectly imperfect stripes of Pat Leveque Oakley. They look like magical seed pods.

 This tile by Motawi tile featured the great work of Charley Harper. It would be cute hanging on the wall, or even inlaid into a fireplace surround.

 I loved the metallic quality of these pieces...couldn't find the artist's name, sadly.

 And I especially loved these uber modern (yet totally midcentury) vases.

As I was leaving, I realized I definitely should have scooped up some of these cute plant markers for my future garden. If you're in the area, go get yourself some!