FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 20, 2026
[Mars Hill, NC] – Connecting to Place II: Blue Ridge Craft Trails Invitational 2026 will be on display at Mars Landing Arts Center in Mars Hill, NC. Running from Friday, August 7th, through Sunday, September 27th, 2026, the exhibition features works by artists from the Blue Ridge Craft Trails. Curator M. Anna Fariello created the exhibition with the vision of tying today’s living traditions back to the region’s history and nature.
The 20 participants are from the Far West region of Western North Carolina, representing seven towns and the Qualla Boundary: Franklin, Waynesville, Dillsboro, Bryson City, Cullowhee, Canton, Cherokee, Maggie Valley, and Brasstown. The artwork consists of different mediums including clay, fiber, metal, paper, and wood.
Connecting to Place debuted at The Bascom in Highlands, NC, on May 16 and will conclude on July 25. The exhibition will move to the Mars Landing Arts Center for a second run. Several new pieces will be included, and artwork will be available for purchase.
“I am excited to share this exhibition of the artists in our westernmost counties, whose work many of us might not often get to experience, living in and visiting around Asheville,” states Miryam Rojas, owner of Mars Landing Arts Center. “Bringing this wonderful show from The Bascom to Mars Landing offers these artists an additional breadth of exposure and admiration.”
Mars Landing Arts Center is one of 355 Blue Ridge Craft Trails sites, making the connection even more important. BRNHA and Rojas first partnered in July 2025 to host another BRCT invitational, Returning to the Ridge.
“Whenever we hold events for our artists, we like to involve a gallery or arts organization that is also a site on the Blue Ridge Craft Trails, so that we can bring attention to them and their important work as well,” said Robin Johnson, BRCT Coordinator. “Mars Landing’s spacious gallery can accommodate a large amount of work, and showing craft pieces in its contemporary environment gives the audience a new perspective.
Exhibition Details
Connecting to Place II: Blue Ridge Craft Trails Invitational 2026
Dates: August 7th – September 27th, 2026
Location: Mars Landing Arts Center, 37 Library St, Mars Hill, NC 28754
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm
Opening Reception: August 7th, 5 to 7 pm. Free and open to the public.
Contact: MarsLandingGalleries.com | 828-747-7267
Participating Artists
Teresa Bouchonnet | Myron Carter | Susan Coe | Laurey Faye Dean | Brad Dodson | Gayle R. Haynie | Karen H. Hovis | Carol Lynn Johnson | Ilene Kay | Joe Frank McKee | Mike McKinney | Paul Hornbuckle | Janlyn Messina | Davy Arch | Caden Painter | Terance Painter | Paul Pieringer | William S. Rogers | Desmond Suarez | Gayle Barker Woody
About Mars Landing Arts Center
Since 2021, Mars Landing Galleries has been a standout gallery for the works of over 35 visual artists living and working in and around Western North Carolina. As a clear destination for art enthusiasts along with a newly expanding arts program, Mars Landing Arts Center (MLAC) debuted in February 2026. Encompassing 9,000 square feet, MLAC hosts live performances, film screenings, and workshops, in addition to art exhibitions. The center also provides affordable & flexible working studios for artists.
About the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
The Blue Ridge National Heritage Area is a nonprofit organization that preserves, cultivates, and promotes the natural and cultural heritage of 25 Western North Carolina counties and the Qualla Boundary to benefit current and future generations.
The Blue Ridge Craft Trails is a BRNHA project that includes 355 artists, studios, galleries, and cultural organizations from Western North Carolina. Each site is open to the public either by appointment or during business hours. Many BRCT projects are funded in part by the Appalachian Regional Commission.
For additional information or images, contact:
Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Bridget Herbig, Communications Manager
828-818-5334 | bridget@blueridgeheritage.com
Mars Landing Arts Center
Miryam Rojas, Owner
828-747-7267 | marslandinggalleries@gmail.com
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Main image: Nightfall Through the Trees, Caden Painter from Different Drummer Pottery
