SWCC Appalachian Arts Center Celebrates a New Year
Southwest Virginia Community College Appalachian Arts Center officials would like to thank the community for another great holiday season. In order to celebrate the new year and the Arts Center’s third anniversary, a variety of events are planned.
The Arts Center now features the work of 146 local and regional artisans. Their incredible works of art, in a wide variety of media, are available for purchase. The artwork, crafts, and creations currently on display include: wood carving, turning, and furniture, paintings, quilts, handmade greeting cards, locally-made bath goods, jewelry, children’s toys, jams, jellies, apple butter, and honey, pottery, glass, drawings, metal work, knit and crochet goods, books by local authors, CDs by local musicians, and much more.
Several of the artisans are participating in a sale at the Appalachian Arts Center February 3 through 14. All sale items have been discounted between 10% and 50% from the original price.
To formally celebrate the Appalachian Arts Center’s third anniversary there will be a reception on Friday, February 20, from 4:30 p.m until 7:00 p.m. This reception is also honoring and thanking Howard D. “Sonny” Elswick for his support of the arts. Elswick is a graduate of The Art Institute of Chicago and retired from the Tazewell County School System after teaching art at Richlands Middle School for many years. Elswick recently donated his library of over 1,000 books to create a “Reading Room” at the Appalachian Arts Center. During the month of February, the Arts Center will show and have for sale a large selection of Howard D. Elswick’s paintings.
The Appalachian Arts Center is open Tuesday through Saturday from 12:00 noon until 5:30 p.m. The Arts Center is located in the “old Archie Helton Store” on Route 19, 2.5 miles south of Claypool Hill (intersection of Rt. 19 and Rt. 460), or 2.5 miles north of Southwest Virginia Community College. For more information, call the Appalachian Arts Center at 276.596.9188 or email: appartsinfo@sw.edu