| footnotes | april 2022 | letter from the editor

Some old-fashioned things like fresh air and sunshine are hard to beat. In our mad rush for progress and modern improvements, let’s be sure we take along with us all the old-fashioned things worthwhile. ― Laura Ingalls Wilder

We invite you to join us during the month of April as we embrace timeless pleasures: listening to the lively melodies of traditional Appalachian music, engaging with artists as they hone their craft in their studios, capturing the breathtaking beauty of nature on an easel outdoors, and enjoying a good ol’ fashioned morning spent with shovels in the sunshine during a volunteer gardening event.

Front Porch Pickin’, happening this Friday, April 1, will feature regional talent, including Ashlee Watkins, Andrew Small, and The Students of Joe Stringband. This free community concert is offered in partnership with Explore Elkin, so you can relax with a bite to eat and the beverage of your choice while you’re here. Start your weekend right by packing a blanket and claiming your spot on our expansive front lawn for dinner and a show!

Our Second Saturday Open Studio lineup begins on Saturday, April 9, and offers an opportunity to peek into a number of art studios and browse the Eidson Craft Gallery. April’s studio artist feature showcases the Director of the Yadkin Valley Fiber Center, Leslie Fesperman. Tour the fiber arts center and learn about upcoming fiber courses — ranging from beginning techniques to advanced instruction — during this informal event.

Our newest programming initiative, the Plein Air Painters group, strives to capture the abundant natural beauty of our trail town and connect local artists and art enthusiasts. We’ve planned a variety of excursions to parks, vineyards, and historic estates, and we’ll start by venturing to Stone Mountain State Park on Sunday, April 24. Join us for a morning of fresh air, fresh paint, and freshly ground coffee — your ticket reserves your spot and helps fund our classes designed to introduce new artists to the joy and challenges of drawing and painting outdoors. Learn more about the rich history of painting en plein air and explore our annual plein air programming schedule, including an exciting new multi-day festival coming to the Foothills Arts Center this October!

Finally, on the last Saturday in April, we’d love to have your help addressing landscape maintenance and adding beauty to our lawn with our first annual Volunteer Gardening Day. If you want to show your support but don’t feel like digging in the dirt, please feel free to drop off spring bulbs, perennials, or evergreen plants to be planted by our volunteers.

We hope that you’ll find time to relax and enjoy the possibilities that spring brings with fresh air, sunshine, and a little bit of good old-fashioned fun.

Sydney Sieviec, Assistant Director

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