Exhibits are available to view every day during open hours, 9am-4pm

See “Why We Cowee”


Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center opens resident artist exhibition Oct. 10

The statement “Why We Cowee” is made clear through the work on display in the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center’s newest art exhibition. The Center’s resident artists display their work, together, in the exhibition that opens October 10 and runs through January 31, 2026.

“Why We Cowee” examines and celebrates the rich heritage of our community in this historic corner of southern Appalachia,” said Laura Brooks, executive director. “Additionally, this show emphasizes Cowee as a place of artistic exploration and expression, which draws our dedicated resident artists who operate their small businesses here while practicing a wide array of disciplines.”

Who are they?

The resident artists at the Center include visual artists, potters, quilters, weavers, dancers, musicians, an author/poet, naturalist eco-tour guides, a cartoonist, a podcaster, and wellness instructors who engage regularly with the varied community interests the Center serves. They include:

 Hear “Why We Cowee”

Cowee resident artist Matt Sawyer, in collaboration with sponsor, City Lights Bookstore, produces a podcast called “Why We Cowee.”

 “It’s enthralling to delve into the lives of the artists and regular community contributors who make the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center, their base for creative activities and enterprises,” Sawyer said. “During the art exhibition I will schedule a day when anyone in the community can come to share a story about why they Cowee. I will record their stories and eventually incorporate them into the podcast.”

 “The Center is in a stage of significant growth, underpinning our commitment to preserving the cultural and artistic legacy of the Cowee area and Cherokee people,” Brooks said.

The Center’s programming encompasses festivals, concerts, open mic nights, speaker and maker series; art, craft, and dance courses; plus outreach activities including Student Heritage Days, a weekly farmer’s market, community gardening, access to a commissary kitchen, and rental spaces for community use.

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Biscuits and Jam

Kim Keelor

Fruit Jar Parables

Brent Martin

Mountain Vista I, II

Carol Conti

Seasonal Superlatives - Fall, Most Mischevious

Jeremy Brooks

“Fragments of Hope” exhibit explores impacts of Hurricane Helene on western North Carolina artists

Opening reception Saturday, March 8, at Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center

(Franklin, North Carolina) – The "Fragments of Hope" exhibition is a poignant showcase that aims to depict the multifaceted impacts of Hurricane Helene on the lives and work of artists, artisans, and photographers in western North Carolina. The juried exhibition in the gallery hall of the Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center not only reveals the losses experienced by the participating artists but also celebrates their strength and resilience as they create and thrive in the aftermath of disaster.

“The concept of "Fragments of Hope" emerged from a collective desire to explore the emotional and physical aftermath of Hurricane Helene, as experienced by artists in this region,” said Laura Brooks, Executive Director, Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center. “The exhibit provides a platform for artists to express their personal stories and the communal narrative of loss, recovery, and hope.”

The Concept

Artists were challenged to contemplate losses such as a beloved human or pet, the destruction of a community, church, home, studio, body of art, or treasured parts of the natural environment. A physical element symbolizing that loss, such as a photograph of a loved one, a piece of storm debris, or the root of a lost tree, was to be included.

The juried nature of the exhibition ensures that the artwork included was selected for its ability to convey these qualities:

·      Innovation: The originality and creativity displayed in the approach to the subject matter.

·      Thematic relevance: The clarity with which the piece addresses the impacts of Hurricane Helene and the themes of loss, resilience, and hope.

·      Technical proficiency: The skill and craftsmanship demonstrated in the creation of the artwork.

Participating artists include:

Diane Bronstein, Fletcher
Claire Brunner, Asheville
Lynne Buchanan, Fletcher
Mark Chase, Fletcher
Benjamin Erlandson, Glade Valley
Matt Gauck, Franklin
Chrys Corn Goodman, Alexander
Nitara Kittles, Asheville
Ashley Poole, Burnsville
April McNiff, Franklin
Laura Rudkin Miniot, Asheville
Elliott Mittens, Barnardsville

“During the hurricane, I sat bewildered and small, looking out at the wind blowing horizontally across the trees…,” said Chrys Corn Goodman in her submission. “Not knowing what else I could do, I went upstairs to my studio and painted. This image of a woman showed up in my paint, looking like she’s about to throw blows. I named her Helene.”

Opening Reception

An opening reception for “Fragments of Hope” will take place from 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the Center. The jurors will award first, second, third and honorable mention prizes, with total cash awards of $300, to be announced at the reception. The exhibit runs from March 3 – May 23, 2025. Art purchases from the show can be made through the Cowee Mercantile.

Additionally, images by professional drone photographer Mark Krancer, showing the impact of the storm in the Franklin area, will be displayed.

Exhibit jurors included Brooks with Cowee School Arts and Heritage Center resident artists Carol Conti, Kim Keelor and Angela Martin.

“Helene (True Love Endures Everything),” by Chrys Corn Goodman, 36 x 17,
Oil, cold wax, graphite and charcoal on cradled wood panel, mounted on fragment of debris created by Hurricane Helene