Spring walk along the Davidson River and... nature's art.

On the trails in Pisgah Forest—now is the time when the spring flowers have already finished blooming, but the mushrooms have not yet appeared.

At two points along the trail, I spotted something that could be described as art created by nature:

- a bird looking at a heart;

- a baby elephant with its trunk curled up.

A wildflower Pipsissewa started to showing up;  is primarily a mid-to-late summer flower.

Spring Into Ikebana at the North Carolina Arboretum

Change of Seasons: Spring Into Ikebana - Another exhibition at our local Arboretum—very pleasant, colorful, with the scent of flowers and gentle music in the background.
 The North Carolina Arboretum presented a two-day exhibition of ikebana - the Japanese art of flower arrangement. This expiation was organized by

the Asheville Chapter of Ikebana International.

Ikebana is the art of flower arranging that originates in ancient Japan. It is practiced as an art where flowers and other natural elements are placed in such a way as to embody harmony, peace, and beauty. Ikebana, also known as kado in Japanese, is considered to be the top 3 major forms of cultural arts along with tea ceremony and calligraphy.  

Trolls on the trails at the Asheville Arboretum in North Carolina

I want to take trash and turn it into something 

that will open people’s eyes and minds. 

We shouldn’t throw the world out—

then we’ll have a world with no mountains, no woods.

Thomas Dambo, the troll sculptor

Thomas Dambo, Danish artist living and working in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a well-known recycling art activist and environmental artist.

Thomas Dambo creates his art using recycled materials—reclaimed wood, old pallets and other debris, fallen branches and twigs—proving that discarded materials are not worthless, but can be transformed into beautiful, meaningful works of art.

This Copenhagen-based artist transforms recycled materials into giant figures, creating trolls*

Brevard College campus in North Carolina - Exhibition in Spires Gallery

  

Spiers Gallery is a modern 1,500 square foot gallery located in the Sims Art Center on the Brevard College campus. Exhibitions at Spiers Gallery take place throughout the academic year and feature works by Brevard College students and faculty, as well as guest artists from Western North Carolina and across the country. Exhibitions are free and open to the public.

During my recent walk around the Brevard College campus, I stopped at this gallery and had the opportunity to see the exhibition "Whistling Past Eternity." Two local artists were representing their work: David Sheldon (painting and sculpture) and Mark Connelley (sculpture).

The last days of Summer on the trails... mushrooms

Mushrooms on Cascade loop trail in DuPont State Recreational Forest - 2025

 

 

Four types of Amanita mushrooms

 

On the trails around Davidson River in July

In July there weren't many flowers on the trails, but there were some mushrooms...

Scarlet Beebalm