I am so happy that we decided not to skip a visit to Biltmore this time! IMHO, it seemed like a hefty admission price -- even without all the optional add-ons (of which we opted for zero) -- but now that I've visited, I can see why. The house is gorgeous and well-cared for -- loved, even. It's off-season, so there were some things happening, such as refinishing of the wood floor in one of the halls, and repairs to the walls. The walls were plastered and stenciled, so there was a craftsman touching up the paint and it was so cool to watch him for a few minutes! Spring is just barely beginning to spring, so there were obvious signs of work being done in the gardens.

Oh, the gardens!

But first...

Yes, I sprung for the tourist trap photo op!

I took a few photos inside, but honestly, it's difficult to capture -- and, sometimes, I'd just be stunned by what I was seeing that I'd just forget that I even had a camera, or know that I wouldn't be able to capture half (swimming pool, bowling alley, kitchens and store rooms).

This servant's room, with its sweet "counting sheep" garland at the foot of the bed, certainly caught my eye. It was quite a nice room, too, and the staff was paid very well (New York City wages) back in the day.

I shared an orchid-centric post on IG the other day, so I'll (mostly) spare you those photos here. The Conservatory was...

...well, it's February and we came from cold snowy Wisconsin...

...it was so warm and green and colorful! And huge.

I love that orchids can be so different. That little wisp of a thing was quite small, though not the smallest. It was just something to see, as was that BLACK variety. The orchids were mostly gathered in a specific area. There was another amazing flower at every turn!

There was also a separate room for cacti and succulents -- a cool variety of size, color, and texture.

In terms of plant life, there wasn't a whole lot happening in the gardens yet. I was enchanted by the walls with their espalier trees, and was very happy to find blooming hellebores.

The admission price also included trolley transportation to different locations/parking within the estate, and a wine tasting, which we really enjoyed. Overall, I think it would be a very different experience to visit in high summer -- there were definitely people around, but it wasn't crowded in the least and we didn't have to wait for anything.

So, that's pretty much a wrap on our Asheville highlights... except for a word or three about food.

• We enjoyed lunch at Farm Burger on Saturday, knowing that it would be good because we ate there last time, too!
• On Saturday night we went to Sierra Nevada Brewing in nearby Mills River (actually, right in between Asheville and our Airbnb)... and I cannot get over it! It wasn't even on our radar, but we saw the sign a few times and it had good reviews when we searched for nearby dinner options (plus, I'm a huge fan of SNB's Hazy Little Thing) (and now I have some swag)! It was enormous, and the drive/entry to the property was amazing (lighting shaped like hops). We had a little bit of a wait, so went upstairs to the "High Gravity" room and enjoyed a beer and some live music. Our dinner was fantastic!! Along with Biltmore, I would definitely visit SNB on another visit to the area!
• And Ingles. I remembered Ingles from last time... and, I just have to say, what a fantastic "grocery" store. I want one.

I hope you had a great weekend!

Y'know, they are #whirlwindarttripswithkate (a four-day trip, two of which were all driving), but we pack in as much as we can... this will be my last post about our visit to Black Mountain College Museum, and then there will be a post or two about our visit to Biltmore.

We all, I suppose, hope to in some measure, at some point, achieve fineness in our work, but what is really exciting is the feeling that we are growing, that we are discovering things that we hadn't known before—and especially that there is so much ahead that has not been realized. And, for me, Art is the name of a direction, not a product.

–Joan Potter (Sihvonen) Loveless (1928-2009) from Three Weavers (University of New Mexico Press, 1992);
she studied weaving with Anni Albers at BMC 1944-1948

Oh, that last sentence!!

Experienced weavers were invited to sit down and work on this piece! My experience is limited to a child's BRIO loom -- I have no idea how those foot pedals work -- so I just admired.

Here are a few more pieces from Question Everything! The Women of Black Mountain College that stood out to me.

Lolita Georgia, Weaving Class Notebook, 1935

Lolita Georgia was the spouse of Black Mountain College faculty & founding member, Frederick R. Georgia. She was at BMC from 1933-1937. This is a page from her weaving class notebook, from a class taught by Anni Albers.

Anni Albers, Untitled, 1950, cotton and bast

Anni Albers (1899-1994) originally intended to study visual arts, but the way things worked at the Bauhaus in 1922, female students were restricted to the weaving workshop... which is terrible but also terrific & serendipitous, as Anni Albers became one of the most influential textile artists of the 20th Century! She and her husband, Josef, came to BMC in 1933, after fleeing Nazi Germany; Josef was head of the new school and also head of the painting program, while Anni taught weaving and textile design; they left the school in 1949.

Elizabeth Jennerjahn, Untitled, ca. 1960, textile with applied fabric wall hanging

Elizabeth Schmitt Jennerjahn (1923-2007) first attended BMC in 1943-44 as a student, studying art with Josef & Anni Albers. She left to study dance in New York City with Martha Graham, returning in 1948 with her husband, Warren (Pete) Jennerjahn, to study with Merce Cunningham, also working as a student teacher in 1949; the Jennerjahns left BMC in 1951.

Susan Moore, Composition with Dot, date unknown, oil on canvas

Susan Moore (1926-2013) was a student at Black Mountain College in the summer of 1946, studying design and painting with Josef Albers and Jacob Lawrence.

Evelyn Williams Anselevicius, Untitled (from the Geodesic Series, ca. 1970s, tapestry

Evelyn Williams Anselevicius (1923-2003) was a BMC student in 1947. She became known internationally for her large-scale woven tapestries, often using Mexican rug weaving techniques and wool that was spun & dyed in Mexico.

And, of course, Ruth Asawa (1926-2013), who attended BMC from 1946 to 1949.

Have a great weekend!!!

Joining Carole & friends for a follow-up to last week's post about three artists at Black Mountain College (the obvious idea of which only occurred to me this morning as I was brushing my teeth).

1 - Suzi Gablik

Tropism #3, collage and oil on canvas

I learned that Suzi Gablik was only 16 years old when she attended Black Mountain College in the summer of 1951, and studied both painting and writing.

It was one of those defining choices in life. Although I was only there for two months, in that unorthodox environment, my maverick self, which was not easily accommodated at home, had the time and provocation to emerge.

She gave up practicing art in the 1970s to focus on writing art history and criticism, believing that she could effect more social change that way.

2 - M.C. Richards

Snow, letterpress on paper
(Portrait of) M.C. Richards, Skywinding Farm, Scaly Mountain, NC, ca 1970s,
Type C print by Jonathan Williams

Raku pot
Alchemical Form, stoneware

I'd ordered M.C. Richards' book, Centering In Pottery, Poetry, and the Person, before leaving for NC and it was waiting when I returned... never even thought to ask Kate if she had it, because she has A LOT of material about BMC. (And she does have it, of course!)

The person that had the strongest and most far-reaching effect on me was M.C. Richards. Albers opened my eyes. M.C. opened my mind and I will be forever grateful to her. --Carol Singer Kalbfeld, BMC student 1947-1948

3 - Hazel Larsen Archer

Interior of the Quiet House, gelatin silver print
Ruth Asawa, ca. late 1940s, vintage gelatin silver prints

Hazel Larsen Archer taught photography with an emphasis on "seeing" rather than on technique.

Question Everything! The Women of Black Mountain College was a beautiful show! We also wandered through the reference library and more exhibits in the lower level, and both left with some items from the shop... including the last two tote bags they had in stock (which we both need like a hole in the head). Ha. They're so USEFUL.

I'll have one more post about our visit to Black Mountain College Museum!

I'm joining Kat & the Unravelers today to share what I'm knitting and reading.

KNITTING

I love starting/knitting a project while I'm traveling because it's always a reminder of the trip!

I started the beaded Nugget Mitts while we were in North Carolina. The loveliness of this pattern is that the beading is all done in one row! I did that on the first mitt while we enjoyed a little downtime one evening, and now it's perfect travel knitting... and I did a bit of that during the daylight hours on the drive home.

I brought a lot of knitting with me, but this is the only thing I worked on. It was right back to work yesterday -- with a bunch of stuff to catch up on at home -- so I'm just going with this right now and will resume Banging Out a Cardigan when I have more than a second to think & breathe.

Ali & the kiddos were over for a bit last night.

Malina is now wearing the little Beatrice Top that I knit for Ginny -- and topping it off nicely, too! I knit much of that top while on a #whirlwindarttripwithkate to St. Louis in 2017.

READING LISTENING

I didn't do any reading on vacation, but we listened to quite a few podcast episodes:

• Revisionist History by Malcom Gladwell
• Hidden Brain : NPR by Shankar Vedantam
• Throughline : NPR by Rund Abdelfatah and Ramtin Arablouei

I don't usually listen to podcasts very much, but these were so interesting!!

I still haven't picked up my book since returning home, but I have resumed listening to The Dutch House on my commute.

♠ ♣ ♥ ♦

The trip was really great. Even though it was only for a couple of days, there's a lot to digest & share, so I'm going to start small... and right now.

Our Airbnb (plus) cottage was just about the cutest darn thing you ever did see... or ever might stay in.

We each had our own bedroom, separated by the bathroom -- those are the windows you see on the side of the house -- with a comfy & cozy living room and a very nice kitchen. The porch was big and welcoming, and there was a patio and a separate fire pit in the back (which we didn't use, but so nice!).

Great amenities, attention to detail & decor, and lots of little touches -- that's what makes it PLUS! That's a special designation for properties that go above & beyond... it's not available in my area, but you can bet that I'd be shooting for it!

Potentially mutually beneficial shameless plug: If you'd like to try Airbnb, use this link to save up to $55 on your first trip — and once your reservation is complete, I'll get a little credit to use toward future travel, too.

I've stayed at 28 different Airbnb properties in the last six years -- from Scotland to Spain, New York to Oregon, Michigan to Mexico, with many points scattered in between and some quite close to home. You won't be surprised to learn that I freakin' love Airbnb! They haven't all been as stellar as this adorable cottage, but I can honestly say that I've never had a dud. Next week it'll be a year since we welcomed our first guest as Airbnb hosts! We had 38 completed bookings last year, and five already this year -- with another this weekend and 11 more (so far) booked between now and October! We've had between one and five guests at any one time, for as little as one night or as many as 32! It's a lot of work, but I'm still enjoying it... I'll stop when I'm not!

Joining Carole & friends for Three (Pertinent) Things on Thursday...

Kate & I are leaving later today for a quick trip to Asheville, NC. The main reason being to see a show at Black Mountain College Museum entitled Question Everything! The Women of Black Mountain College.

A little background:

• Black Mountain College was the subject of Kate's master's dissertation at University of Edinburgh in 2014.
• Kate & I visited Black Mountain/Asheville in 2015. It was a pretty great trip, and we even visited the original sites of BMC.
• My first up-close & personal (mind-blowing) encounter with the work of Black Mountain College alum Ruth Asawa's work was on a pretty awesome trip to the Bay Area in 2010 to visit my friend and former blogger Celia.
• Kate & I made a special trip to St. Louis in 2018 to see Ruth Asawa: Life's Work at the Pulitzer Arts Foundation.

There are many other influential, renowned, or even famous people to attend and/or teach at BMC in its relatively short lifespan -- Robert Rauschenberg, Cy Twombly, Merce Cunningham, and Buckminster Fuller to name a few -- and I've seen the work of many in various museums and/or documentaries.

Arguably, the best known of them all to knitters & textile artists might be Josef & Anni Albers, to wit:

• Albers Shawl by Amy Christoffers
• Albers Socks by Sachiko Burgin
• Albers Cowl by Ann Weaver
• Albers Baby by Ann Weaver
• Albers Shawl by Ann Weaver
• Albers Pullover by Julia Farwell-Clay
• Albers Collection ~ Head by Sarah Monroe
• Albers Collection ~ Hands by Sarah Monroe
• Albers Stash Blanket by Leigh Radford
• Albers by Stephanie van der Linden
• Albers by Laura J. Bellows

Though not the only ones to inspire knitting designs:

• Twombly lines by Susan Ashcroft

Anni Albers and Ruth Asawa are among the artists featured in Question Everything! For purposes today, I've plucked the names of three new-to-me artists, also included in the exhibition, to do some research ahead of the show!

1 - Suzi Gablik

Suzi Gablik (b. 1934) studied at BMC in the summer of 1951. She is an artist (painter, collage), art critic, author, and teacher. I am especially drawn to images in the "Tropism" series (#9, above).

tropism | 1 a : involuntary orientation by an organism or one of its parts that involves turning or curving by movement or by differential growth and is a positive or negative response of a source of stimulation

I'm excited to see if any of these pieces are included in the exhibition.

2 - M.C. Richards

Mary Caroline (M.C.) Richards (1916-1999) was a poet, essayist, potter, painter, and teacher. She taught writing at BMC in the late 1940s, having moved there with her then-husband Albert William Levi Jr., a social scientist, when he was invited to join the faculty in 1945.

Her book, Centering In Pottery, Poetry, and the Person, was originally published in the 1960s, and became an underground classic (an original paperback can be had for a cool $989 and some change).

The book... pulled together ideas about perception, craft, education, creativity, religion and spirituality, arguing for the richness of daily experience if carefully attended to, and the creativity of the average person. "Poets are not the only poets," Ms. Richards wrote. --New York Times obituary of M.C. Richards

She sounds fascinating! I am not really what you'd call a "poetry person," but I could not resist that book... it's on the way!

3 - Hazel Larsen Archer

The first things I learned about Hazel Larsen Archer (1921-2001) was that she was born and raised in Milwaukee, that she had polio when she was 10, and that she was a photographer -- so right away there are a few points of connection and interest. She was both a student and a teacher at BMC, and in 1949 joined the faculty as the school's first full-time teacher of photography. She documented life -- performances, events, people -- at BMC. After leaving NC, she and her husband moved to Tucson, AZ, where she operated a freelance studio.

I'm excited about the show/the trip and you can be sure I'll fill you in on it all!

This photo was in my in-box this morning:

It was seven years ago yesterday that I was on my way to Rio de Janeiro! There was that unfortunate missed connection in Houston (by only :15 with the connecting gate literally right next door... that still bites!) that set me back a day, causing Annie to have to deliver this news to the boys. It turned out OK in the end, though, as I was actually able to negotiate to extend my stay! Still... this photo of these little boys (5 and 7 at the time) breaks my heart!

I finally found a calendar for work:

I love travel calendars and, these days, I love ticking off all the places that I've been! There are plenty more places yet to go...

And I am RESTLESS! I am literally counting the days (hours, minutes & seconds) until I can GO SOMEWHERE:

It's barely less than three weeks until the next #whirlwindarttripwithkate, and thank god because I don't know if I could bear the seven+ weeks until Rusty & I leave for Mexico with nothing in between... not the way I'm feeling right now!

So, the trip with Kate... we're headed back to North Carolina! And it'll definitely be whirlwind, leaving on a Thursday afternoon when we're both finished at work and returning on Monday. Last time, almost 5 years ago (!), our focus was Black Mountain, and it will be this time, too, but specifically a show at Black Mountain College Museum in Asheville. Question Everything! The Women of Black Mountain College. Though we saw plenty of art on our previous trip, the BMCM was closed for an installation; Kate's on their mailing list and she popped in out of the blue a couple of weeks ago (with some sort of Spidey sense) (when people were flying off to Europe and Australia and I was feeling extra feels) (and knowing that this is right up my alley) to suggest that we go! Besides, trips like this are good for us! We'll be staying in Asheville this time, at our first Airbnb with the "Plus" designation.

In the meantime, I'm focusing on putting my head down and getting all the things done (especially the distasteful ones) so I can truly vacate on vacay! Maybe I'll even get the Christmas tree down... heh.

I'm also thinking a lot about knitting and what I want to do this year. I don't usually set knitting goals and I have no idea what all I'm going to knit because... how many patterns are released on Ravelry each year? But I do know some things, and I'll share them next week.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!