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Crafted in the Mountains: The Evolution of Appalachian Art

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This exhibition, on view in the Sandra J. Blain Galleries, features seventy total pieces of artwork from Arrowmont’s Permanent Collection. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
The exhibition highlights how Appalachian forms changed throughout the 20th century, resulting in a mix of functional and decorative works—where objects often mimic their utilitarian roots without serving a traditional purpose. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
Appalachian communities, perceived as untouched by industrialization, were seen as living links to America’s colonial past. This romanticized view created a new market for handicraft—one that valued aesthetics as much as utility. As a result, two distinct paths of making developed in the region: one remained rooted in utilitarian needs, while the other adapted to outsider expectations, producing objects that looked “traditional” but were designed to appeal to buyers beyond the mountains. Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
Jan 5, 2026 - Mar 6, 2026
Sandra J. Blaine Galleries at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts
556 Parkway 
Gatlinburg, 
TN 
37738
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