The Asheville art scene is on fire, and the city is well-known for its support of artists and creators of all kinds. Joining us today from the heart of the Southeast art world are Bob Ware and Louise Glickman, of Sand Hill Artists Collective (SHAC), a group that looks to support the art community on the far West side of Asheville. In this episode, we hear about the history of the city, and what drew Bob and Louise to live there. Having both worked as artists, Bob and Louise understand what it is like to struggle to put yourself out there, and, as such, they hope to create supportive communities where everyone can share knowledge and experiences. We talk about gentrification in the city, how it is relatively unaffected by climate change, and its deep relationship with storytelling. Bob and Louise also share the incredible work SHAC has managed to do in just over a year and how marrying the digital and art worlds spans boundaries and creates infinite connections. We are so grateful that SHAC holds the same values as us, here at Not Real Art, and this is the first of many collaborations. Tune in to hear it all!

 

Key Points From This Episode:

• Where Louise and Bob are originally from and how they ended up in Asheville.
• The influence that Moog has had on the city.
• A brief history of Asheville and the role it has played in broader U.S history.
• So many of the Asheville population are not native to the city.
• The impetus for starting SHAC and what the collective hopes to achieve.
• Why the reluctance to create digital art experiences should be worked past.
• How Asheville is dealing with gentrification given that more people are moving there.
• Climate change in Asheville: how the city will fare compared to the rest of the country.
• Details about the gallery tour SHAC hosted and what it was about.
• The understanding that Bob and Louise bring, being artists themselves.
• Similar values that SHAC and Not Real Art share.
• Why Louise was drawn to Asheville, having grown up in New Orleans.
• The rich history of storytelling in the mountainous area of Asheville.
• The power of art in fostering connection and bridging divides.
• How the pandemic has affected different people’s creative outputs.
• What moving to Asheville did for Bob and Louise’s creative practice.
• Why asking photographers about the gear they use isn’t a compliment, according to Bob.
• Hear more about ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arrangement.
• The parallels between Bob and Louise’s work; their love for simplicity.
• Final words from Louise and Bob and where you can get hold of them.

For more information and photos, visit here: https://notrealart.com/sand-hill-artist-collective