We invite you to join us in support of our upcoming 5th Annual Benefit Art Show – “A Pastoral Palette.” For TICKETS/ RESERVATIONS for the ticketed event on Friday, May 30, 2025 from 5:30pm to 8pm, you have two options to pay. You can send a check to ABA, PO Box 1441, Mars Hill, NC 28754 or you can use a credit card by clicking on the PayPal button below. Please fill in the “Write a Note–Optional” box with the names of the ticket holders & Benefit Art Show Tickets. Note that sponsors will be allowed early entry from 5 to 5:30. (For information about sponsorship, call Sandy at 828 380-9146.) When your payment is received, an email acknowledgment will be sent both from PayPal within minutes and from the ABA within a few days. Your name and information will be on a list at the door. See the paragraph below about the cost of tickets. Tickets can be purchased online until 4pm the day of the event or at the door.
The Appalachian Barn Alliance will again partner with The Saints of Paints (organized and led by John MacKah) to host an arts celebration by 15 of Asheville area’s finest artists. These two groups, the Appalachian Barn Alliance and the Saints of Paint, come together with a single purpose – to honor the barns of western North Carolina’s heritage. This is a special year as the ABA would like to thank the Saints of Paint for this 5-year partnership, and at the same time, help the artists recover from the losses they suffered during and since Helene. Some artists –especially those whose studios were in the River Arts District or on the island in Marshall at Marshall High Studios– suffered the loss of their studios. But ALL have experienced the loss of their revenue from the October fall colors’ month until now.
The Friday Evening Benefit and Saturday “Open to the Public” show will be back at the beautiful space in the historic Ivy Building at 10 Genevieve Circle (just off of Victoria Road) on the A-B Tech campus. Friday is a ticketed event offering samplings of food as well as complimentary wine and beer choices where you can mingle with the artists who will have several of their paintings for sale. Paintings range in price and size and will be not only of barns but also of beautiful rural landscapes. Background music is provided by David Hughes. The event continues (minus the food, drink, and music) on the following day when it is free and open to the public– on Saturday, May 31 with an opportunity to purchase the artists’ works from 11am to 3pm.
Money raised from tickets sold for the Friday event will benefit the work of the Appalachian Barn Alliance in their latest project. Currently, there is a campaign to raise money to purchase 75 acres to further protect and add to the land for the Smith Heritage Farmstead just outside of Mars Hill. The 50% the ABA receives from the sale of art will also benefit this project. The other 50% goes to the artist of the painting sold.
Organized in 2014, the Saints of Paints (https://saintsofpaintasheville.org/) supports important regional non-profits by creating works of art to sell to hundreds of guests at novel galas. These organizations have included RiverLink, Appalachian Wild, and the Blue Ridge Parkway Foundation. The artists use their talent to help raise funds for non-profits with like-minded commitment to causes in the area. This is a great way to browse art, enjoy food and support a great cause.
Please join us in preserving and celebrating the heritage and art of western North Carolina barns through this unique event. Tickets for the Friday event are $50 each. If you are a ABA member, you can get a $5 discount. An Individual Sponsorship (“Barn Raisers”) is available for $100 which allows early entry. Contact Sandy at 828 380-9146 to confirm your membership or if you have any questions.