02.05.2024

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60º | Partly cloudy | 3% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 7:26 a.m. | Sunset 6:01 p.m.

Behind the scenes of creative spaces

The SoundsPretty film project showcases the creative spaces you don’t get to see

A close-up view of a filmmaker on the left side of the image using their camera to document an artist working in the right side of the image.

SoundsPretty gives you a close-up look at artists in their element. | Photo by West Ashe Creative

The artist and co-founder of Horse + Hero and The Big Crafty, Justin Rabuck, and the filmmaker and owner of West Ashe Creative, Colby Sexton, are taking you inside the artistic spaces you don’t typically get to see through their new film project, SoundsPretty.

The ~6-minute films provide an intimate look at local artists’ processes with a sensory and meditative journey through their home studios and creative spaces. Sexton shares that the space itself is intentionally supposed to be another character of the films.

“We’ve both been here now for a lot of years and remember an older Asheville — him an even older Asheville than me — and it was like this foundation of basement studios and these artists kind of eking by but making this place unique and crazy with pop-up concerts and art shows,” says Sexton on the inspiration behind the films. “We need to find a way to capture that same thing in its newest form but in a celebration of what made Asheville the creative thing that it now is.”

A black and white image shows filmmaker Colby Sexton on the right side setting up a light to capture video of musician Tyler Ramsey playing the piano in the center of the image. A boom mic resides in the top left corner of the image. — Sexton documents musician Tyler Ramsey in his home.
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Photo by West Ashe Creative

The duo joke (or perhaps admit) that the undertaking was somewhat selfish, giving them a creative outlet to document artists they admire — but its impact is much greater. The project is a labor of love that it serves to uplift Asheville-area artists deserving of recognition. Rabuck adds that the videos can even help artists bolster applications for grant funding or aid their efforts to feature work in museums.

The pair talked for two to three months about starting the project before diving in with a short film about Edwin Salas. “Happy Dark Place” showcases the puppetry, printmaking, and other mediums the artist works in, but also the collection of items valuable to Salas and influential to his style. Currently three films in total are out, the other two highlighting the spaces and artistic processes of Candler-based musician Tyler Ramsey and illustrator Kaleb Duggan, aka Toasty Tuna.

To watch all the films released so far, head to the SoundsPretty YouTube channel — and to get a behind-the-scenes snapshot of the filming process, keep up with the duo on Instagram.

Events

Monday, Feb. 5

Drunk Spelling Bee | Monday, Feb. 5 | 7-9 p.m. | The Whale Outpost, 2 Beverly Rd., Asheville | Free | Play by yourself or bring a team of up to five for six rounds of spelling words, all with the theme of romance.

Tuesday, Feb. 6

Birding for Kids with ecoEXPLORE | Tuesday, Feb. 6 | 4-5 p.m. | Skyland/South Buncombe Library, 260 Overlook Rd., Asheville | Free | Kids ages 5-13 can join this educational program with the North Carolina Arboretum to learn all about the birds flying across the skies of WNC.
Sunset Vinyasa Flow in The Solarium | Tuesday, Feb. 6 | 6-7 p.m. | The Restoration Asheville, 68 Patton Ave., Asheville | Free | Beginners or experienced yogis can find their flow during this class — just remember to bring your own mat.

Wednesday, Feb. 7

Learn Libby with the Experts | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 2-3 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Tune in for this Zoom session explaining how to use your library card to access thousands of digital titles with the Libby app.
Citizen Swing | Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 6 p.m. | Citizen Vinyl, 14 O’Henry Ave., Asheville | Free | Sip on classic cocktails, listen to old jazz vinyl, and see performances from local jazz talents Connor Law and Thomson Knoles at this twice-monthly series.

Thursday, Feb. 8

Cultivated Community Dinner | Thursday, Feb. 8 | 6 p.m. | Cultura, 147 Coxe Ave., Asheville | $125 | In partnership with the Utopian Seed Project, five local chefs are creating a delectable six-course tasting menu with beverage pairings that highlight a sustainable food system.
Love, Marquee | Thursday, Feb. 8 | 6-9 p.m. | Marquee, 36 Foundy St., Asheville | Free | Help the eclectic marketplace celebrate two years with sweet treats, drinks from Saint Brighids, and beats by DJ Nex Millen.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Opening

Cultivate Climbing is opening a new bouldering gym with 8,000 sqft of climbing space on Foundy Street. It’s expected to open this year, but stay tuned for a specific date.

Closing

Little Bee Thai, located at 45 S. French Broad Ave., Ste. 190 will close by the end of February. The restaurant shared the news and owner Took Charemwong’s retirement announcement on Facebook. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Listen

Excited for more Tyler Ramsey tunes after watching his feature with SoundsPretty? You’re in luck because Citizen Vinyl is hosting a release party for his new album “New Lost Ages” tomorrow, Tuesday, February 6, from 6 to 8 p.m. Grab a copy of the album three days before its official release, and stick around for a Q+A with Ramsey.

Community

The Historic Shiloh Community Association received a $500,000 investment in partnership with Dogwood Health Trust and WNC Bridge Foundation to hire a neighborhood navigator and support revitalization and preservation. Dogwood Health Trust also plans to support a neighborhood study to guide future funding. (Mountain Xpress)

Watch

David Huff will present on the photographs of George Masa for the 33rd PechaKucha Night Asheville. Unfamiliar with PechaKucha? The format involves showing 20 photos for 20 seconds each. Find tickets for the evening of Friday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m.

Number

16.7 million. That’s how many people visited the Blue Ridge Parkway in 2023, an increase of about one million visitors from 2022. The preliminary stats from the National Park Service also indicate that the Parkway is likely the most visited National Park in the US. (Asheville Citizen-Times)

Answered

What local GIS maps would you find useful?

Map Asheville with National Register Historic Properties, ART Bus Routes, and historic landmarks layers toggled on. — Explore a long list of data layers, like historic places and bus routes.
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Screenshot via Map Asheville

Last week we asked you what you’d want to put on the map — an interactive GIS map that is. Here’s what you said:

“Parking lots/ garages in the city.” — Ken B.

“Stormwater features or best management practices, municipal, public, private.” — Maria W.

“Sites of Black historical importance in North Buncombe County (outside of Asheville).” — Anonymous

“DOG PARKS!” — Carmen H.

“Public water lines.” — ME G.

“What live entertainment is happening and where (music, theatre, dance, festivals).” — Rebecca O.

Plus, take some time to browse Buncombe County’s Community Index map, shared by reader R.C. It documents the resources and services available in each area of the County, highlighting community needs.

Bookmark these maps

The Buy

The Buy 2.05.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)

These cowgirl boot stir sticks from Coco Cadeaux’s collection. They’re festive, pink, and perfect for your Galentine’s Day celebration (bonus: they’re also BPA free).

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Grace

From the editor

Listen, I know it’s only Monday — but I’m patiently awaiting this weekend because Garden Party is throwing an Elvis-themed bash with Greenhouse this Sunday, Feb. 11 from 1 to 5 p.m. Head to “Burning Love” for food, drinks, flowers, jewelry, tattoos, tooth gems, and more. See ya there.

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