Do your Christmas shopping at the Toe River Studio Tour

The Toe River Arts Holiday Studio Tour takes place Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 2.

The tour includes more than 100 artists in a variety of media throughout Yancey and Mitchell counties. Potters, painters, glassblowers, textile artists, jewelry makers, blacksmiths, sculptors, carvers and mixed-media artists open their studios for the three-day weekend. Guests are invited to meet the artists, see where they create, learn more about their work and purchase items.

“It’s neat going into the studios and seeing how artists are interpreting similar media in different ways,” says Nealy Andrews, executive director of the Toe River Arts Council, which puts on the studio tour each June and December. “The spaces themselves are really inspirational, as well. Some are out in the woods or tucked in out-of-the-way places, but they’re all interesting.”

The studios are grouped into different geographical regions: Bakersville, Burnsville, Celo, Penland and Spruce Pine. As attendees travel from one studio to the next, they encounter area scenery and landmarks including downtown Burnsville’s Town Square, the Mount Mitchell Scenic Byway, the Quilt Trails of WNC and the organization’s namesake Toe River Valley. The renowned Penland School of Crafts attracts many artists to the area, but the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and small-town hospitality encourage them to stay.

“The tour helps us to communicate how much these artists contribute to the area,” Andrews says. “This is our opportunity to bring people into the area to experience the art on a personal level and support the artists by purchasing their work.” 

The tour is free and self-guided. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Guidebooks with a list of participating artists, photos of each artist’s work and maps to the studios are available at the Toe River Arts Council galleries in Burnsville and Spruce Pine, participating studios and area businesses. Digital versions of the guides are available here.

Look here for more information about Burnsville, including lodging and dining options for the weekend or call (828) 682-7413.