By Emma Castleberry
Published September 2021
On Thursday, September 16, Preserving A Picturesque America (PAPA) will open its fall art sale and exhibition, Preservation Through Art – The French Broad, in the Cloud Room at the Wedge at Foundation. PAPA members seek to create modern works based on the 900 wood engravings and 50 steel engravings of American scenery in Picturesque America, a two-volume set of books published in the 1870s. This inaugural event will feature works from artists in a variety of media, all depicting scenes along the French Broad River found in Picturesque America.
Because of the number of submissions, the exhibition will be broken down into three collections, each featuring different artists and scenes. The first collection will be on display from the opening through September 29; the second collection from September 30 through October 13; and the third collection from October 14–27.
For each collection, PAPA will host a free reception and a free Q&A session with the artists. Proceeds from the sale of artwork will not only support PAPA with its ongoing mission but will also contribute to organizations like RiverLink, Asheville GreenWorks, MountainTrue, the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Friends of Pisgah National Forest, Partners of Cherokee National Forest and Friends of Chimney Rock State Park.
Mike Wurman’s work will be on display in the first collection. He based his art piece on an original engraving by 1870s artist Harry Fenn titled Lover’s Leap – Approach By Night, which depicts the moon reflecting off the French Broad as a stagecoach rounds the Lover’s Leap rock face.
“I incorporated the same night scene yet went with a more standard form of transportation to fit today: three southbound hikers on the Appalachian Trail (AT) making their way into Hot Springs,” says Wurman. “Over 150 years ago, this portion of the AT was known as the Buncombe Turnpike or the Drovers Road. Today, barely two people can walk abreast of one another; yet livestock numbering in the thousands were driven to market along this same trail.”
Mike Wurman at the Smoky Mountain vantage point after a steep hike. Photo by Scott Varn
In the second collection, Mark Henry will exhibit his take of the 1872 engraving Farm on the French Broad.
“I took a small boat to the island in the river to get that same view,” says Henry. “In his original drawing, the farm is visible halfway up the side of the mountain on the far side of the river. The farm is hidden behind the trees now, but supposedly some of the original foundation still remains.”
On display concurrently, on the second floor of the Wedge at Foundation, will be Footsteps & Brushstrokes Along the French Broad, a series of sketches by PAPA founder Scott Varn and artist member Wurman. The exhibition also features photographs of the pair as they retraced the footsteps and brushstrokes of Fenn.
The Wedge at Foundation is located at 5 Foundy Street in Asheville. For more information about the exhibition, including a detailed calendar of events, visit PreservationThroughArt.org. Call the organization at 828.628.0006 or 828.273.5383 to check viewing availability. While the Wedge at Foundation is open seven days a week, it also hosts private events at the same venue.