This summer, The North Carolina Arboretum will transform into a canvas full of color and creativity as part of its 2019 Covered in Color celebration. From May 25 – September 2, visitors will experience the broad spectrum of color found in flowers and foliage while learning about color theory and design through floral displays, art, creative landscapes, guided programs and more.
Compositions of Color: Paper Art by Leo Monahan
Inside the Arboretum’s Baker Exhibit Center, renowned Asheville-based artist Leo Monahan will display his new exhibit, Compositions of Color, May 25 – September 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. With nearly 60 years of experience, Monahan creates vibrant, bold paper sculptures by intricately cutting, folding and texturizing paper of various weights and superimposing them to create an artistic dimensional collage that cannot be depicted on a flat canvas. In his new exhibit, Monahan showcases the complex composition of art and music through various representations of guitars. All pieces are available for purchase and portion of the sales will be donated to The North Carolina Arboretum Society to support exhibits, facilities and educational programs year-round.
Nature’s Palette: Through the Lens of Young Citizen Scientists
On display daily May 25 – September 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Arboretum’s Exhibit Greenhouse, Nature’s Palette is a special student photography exhibit featuring images of colors found in nature captured by K-8 students participating in the Arboretum’s ecoEXPLORE citizen-science program. Why is a male cardinal red? How does color impact an animal’s defense or preying mechanism? More than 50 wildlife images will be displayed alongside color-themed plantings to help educate guests about the importance of color in our natural world.
Colorful Asheville Tour
As part of the Covered in Color celebration, the Arboretum has partnered with Leap Frog Tours and WAXON Studios of West Asheville to offer a special Colorful Asheville tour package. Available Thursdays and Saturdays, June through August, from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., guests will experience an inside look into the many colorful creations that make Asheville so unique. The tour package includes a guided color-themed tour of the Arboretum, lunch at Bent Creek Bistro and a personalized dye workshop at WAXON Studios in West Asheville. Tickets for this customized half-day experience are $125 per person and must be purchased online five days in advance. Purchase Tickets Here
Support for the Arboretum’s Covered in Color summer celebration is provided in part by The North Carolina Arboretum Society, BB Barns Garden, Gift & Landscape Company, Mosaic Community Lifestyle Realty, Smoky Mountain Living Magazine and Henco North Creative Imaging.