This exhibition explores key milestones in the history of color theory through seven case studies, each centered on a single work of art from BRAHM’s Permanent Collection. Alongside these works, diagrams and historical models illustrate how color has been classified, studied, and understood over time. By examining these varied approaches, The Shape of Color invites us to consider the ways in which color influences our perception, emotions, and the visual world around us.
Daingerfield & The Tonalist Instinct explores the development of Tonalism, a distinctly American artistic movement responding to early modernist impulses in painting. Emerging in the latter half of the 19th century, Tonalism was characterized by subtle color harmonies, soft atmospheric effects, and contemplative, mood-driven scenes. Often emphasizing twilight or dawn landscapes, tonalist works evoke introspective, serene, or even ominous atmospheres, prioritizing mood and emotional resonance over detailed realism.
This exhibiton presents a selection of ceramic works and drawings by MaryLou Higgins (1926–2012), an artist active in North Carolina throughout her prolific career. Best known for her illustrative approach to ceramics, Higgins worked across multiple media, creating a body of work defined by intricate draftsmanship and a focus on the female figure.
This intimate installation of ten “memory paintings” by Arlee Mains (1935–2019) offers a vivid and affectionate portrait of early 20th-century life in the mountains of western North Carolina. A lifelong resident of Watauga County and a self-taught artist, Mains drew upon family stories, personal recollections, and regional traditions to create painted scenes of everyday Appalachian life.
At the heart of Andréa Keys Connell’s work is a question: how can the things we make help us hold time, memory, and care? Her ceramic sculptures—often fragmented, patterned, and emotionally charged—explore what it means to endure, to remember, and to repair.
Art in the Park hosts some of the best local and regional artists! Craftspeople showcase their handcrafted jewelry, pottery, fiber, glass, photography, painting and more in this juried show.
Peter Werner will be demonstrating traditional Appalachian broom-tying, which is how he creates his whisks, cake testers, and large sweepers. This demonstration will be held on the front porch of the the Moses Cone Manor from 10am-4pm.
Less than a mile from the Cone Estate, the camp sprung up each summer so young boys could learn about Homer’s Odyssey, hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and discover music and art. Vera and her partner, Tui St. George Tucker (the camp’s music director), ran the camp from 1944 to 1970.
Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Tonalism, taught by nationally acclaimed landscape painter Kyle Buckland. This workshop will guide you through the core principles of this evocative style, including limited palettes, close values, and creating a sense of mood and atmosphere through subtle color variations.
Saunders Old Country Store is excited to be hosting the 7th Annual Apple Butter Festival — a free, family-friendly event happening on Saturday, October 11th from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Tom Gow will be demonstrating how he carves whimsical cottages out of the thick bark of fallen cottonwood trees. This demonstration will be held on the front porch of the the Moses Cone Manor from 10am-4pm.
Get an in-depth look at one of BRAHM’s most ambitious exhibitions yet: “Daingerfield and the Tonalist Instinct.” We feature extraordinary works by Blowing Rock’s own Elliott Daingerfield, including some from private collections that have rarely been seen publicly, as well as works borrowed from major museums.
Join BRAHM on Thursday October 23 at 11 am when curator Ian Gabriel Wilson will be in conversation with Pam McKay, guest curator of the exhibition Arlee Mains: A Life in Watauga. We will learn about Arlee, her relationship with Pam, and what it is about Arlee's paintings that still captivate us today.
In a raw and inspiring reflection on grief–selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the best books of the year–a mourning sister processes her personal story of loss by exploring the history of bereavement customs.