West Jefferson has long been home to artists, whether local, like the late Florence Thomas, or transplants who brought—and keeping bringing—their talents with them. The Ashe County Arts Council has been a mainstay of the arts community here, and developed our monthly Gallery Crawl (Second Friday evening of each month, June-October), as well as the barn quilt tour, the murals all over town, and so much more.
Ten years ago, Ashe County became home to the Florence Thomas Art School, in honor of the legacy of this prolific painter, a true mountain treasure. The school is located just across from the Ashe High Country Realty office, and is a natural fit for our company’s support. The majority of real estate in our area has been purchased by people vacationing or retiring to Ashe County. A thriving downtown and lively arts scene is on the list of things they seek, whether or not they are artists themselves. The Florence Thomas School caters to amateurs and pros alike, offering a wide variety of courses as diverse as barn quilt painting to plein air painting to basket weaving.
We invite you to mark your calendars and join us in our vibrant downtown on March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day—for the Annual Florence Pancake Breakfast, from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. You’ll taste Waterfall Farm maple syrup, produced by Doug Munroe and his daughter, Wheeler, Sausage from Elk River Farm, and grits from High Mountain Farms. Gluten-free pancakes are available!
While savoring a delightful breakfast in the gallery, you’ll be surrounded by beautiful art the 10th Anniversary show celebrating Florence Thomas’ beautiful work. While there, don’t forget to investigate the catalog of courses and make your plans now for a class later this year. The Florence Thomas Art School is an anchor of our Blue Ridge mountain community, and we invite you to join us to support this important institution. And if you want to stay for the weekend (or longer, of course), check out the wonderful vacation rental cabins offered by StayBlueRidge.com.
