Day 6: The last hoorah

Day 6 was our last full day here in North Carolina. We took our time in the morning enjoying the cabin and reading a bit.

Leaving the house around noon, Jen and I ventured back to downtown Asheville for some shopping and to walk the River Arts District. The River Arts District is a cluster of old brick warehouses that have been converted to artist studios. They are open studios so you can walk in and see the artists work and talk with them. (Jen: What used to be an "iffy" area of town has been revitalized.)

I enjoyed speaking with Robin Rector Krupp and Wendy Whitson. Robin does really close up watercolors of animals and they are so colorful and exciting. I bought some greeting cards from her because she said her process is to doodle with her non-dominant hand and see what comes from it. Parts of the brain are accessed that aren't usually in the forefront when we use our non-dominant hand to write or draw. It hit home for me because I've done some exercises with the non-dominant hand.

Wendy's work attracted me immediately because she uses a grid of paint drippings underneath her work. I have some kind of OCD fascination with graph paper so I was drawn to the paintings. They are landscapes and just gorgeous. (J: I loved her use of color and layering.)

It was fun walking around the district because Jen and I both love old warehouse buildings. We walked along the train tracks for a bit too to get from studio to studio.

After we were art-ed out, it was time for a local brew at Jack of the Wood for some Green Man beers. We then walked upstairs to the Laughing Seed Cafe for some incredible vegetarian food. I wish we had a restaurant like this at home. (J: SOOOOOOO good! I had the caribbean enchiladas w/black beans, butternut squash, cilantro sauce, and I don't know what else but it was to die for.) We also bought tons of local brews at Bruisin' Ales to bring back home and share with our friends and family.

Our intention was to stay downtown and listen to music and do the Gallery Art Walk, but we were so pooped that we both decided to go back to our cabin and relax and read. Our last stop on the walk back to the car was Malaprops Bookstore. They received our last bit of tourist dollars.