Chetola Resort and artist/curator Brenda Councill have created an event filled weekend featuring renowned national artists, celebrities and star entertainment, including imaginative, family-friendly activities. August 9-11 from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. each night features continuous engaging entertainment for the entire family.
Chetola Resort’s lakeside setting provides the outdoor venue that has achieved landmark status among travelers to the High Country. The lake provides a dramatic backdrop for juried exhibition of over 50 nationally renowned sculptors traveling from the west coast, the southeast and midwest. Monumental scale and mid-scale works of art curated by Ms. Councill will be temporarily installed along the path around the lake. The public is invited to stroll leisurely to view the variety of premiere pieces, many that will debut that weekend, including the much anticipated piece by NC Artist Beau Lyday, commemorating the Notre Dame Cathedral. Sculptors will be present to answer questions and inquiries about commissions and sales. All proceeds benefit the sculptors. This event is sponsored in part by The Watauga County Arts Council, The NC Arts Council and generous support by private donations.
Art icons Bob Timberlake and Joe Miller will host Friday night’s event, “Prosecco and Painting/Bourbon and Brushes,” Tasting Spirits and Talking Art. An illuminated sculpture walk, flights of prosecco or bourbon, hors d’oeuvres, bonfire, and live music highlight the private event. Sculptors will compete for cash awards totalling $6,000. Dr. Lawrence J. Wheeler, CEO and Director of the North Carolina Museum of Art, (RET.) deemed “One of North Carolina’s Greatest Cultural Forces,” will be the juror and host of the Saturday’s Starry Night Celebration and Awards Ceremony, which includes dinner and dancing under the stars with the 16 piece orchestra, The Starlighters.
Proprietors Greg and Kent Tarbutton have shaped and molded the weekend offerings like true artisans! ArtSplash occurs on Saturday, August 10, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and will feature Virtual Reality games with artist Alan Gordan. Watauga Arts Council volunteers will offer sculpting with kidds, Clay Corner and lawn games, including creating a squirtgun painted large masterpiece like Jackson Polluck. The Tarbuttons agree, “We feel that children will benefit greatly from the imaginative, hands-on interactivity of being surrounded by artists and creative influences. This directly influences and develops lifelong skill sets for the future.”
Meanwhile, adults can enjoy a wine tasting, compliments of “Sunset and Vine” from 1-2:30 p.m.
The kick-off to the weekend event occurred June 3 with the installation on Main Street of the large-scale kinetic sculpture called “Share my Whirled” by renowned sculptor Mike Roig. The piece will be on loan for one year, and Ms. Councill relates, “This piece marks the beginning of the implementation of the public art initiative in collaboration with the NCDOT. We have designated areas for major Public Art enhancements along the 321 corridor that will beautify the boulevard, providing a sophisticated gateway to our mountain town.”
The Town on Blowing Rock approved the sculpture placement and the 900 lb., 13 foot tall kinetic sculpture will enhance the sidewalk along Main Street, (US 321) for a period of one year. The sculptor was contacted by the organizers of this major cultural event. Celebration, Lenoir, NC advocated Mr. Roigs work as he is distinguished nationally. She relates that a signature piece by Mr. Roig became the first public art piece to be placed along the US 321 corridor in Lenoir, NC, “A public art initiative community,” Ms. Suddreth stated.
Greg Tarbutton, proprietor of Chetola Resort, states, “We are proud to be a part of the first Sculptor Walk on Lake Chetola. The sculptor exhibition, we believe, will become an annual event.”
The public and organizers of The Sculptor Walk attended the installation. Greg Tarbutton from Chetola Resort, Mayor Sellers, Pat Lanno, President of the Board, Watauga County Arts Council, a supporter through grassroots funds of the North Carolina Arts Council.
Reservations and tickets to Friday and Saturday night private events are available by calling Brenda Councill at 828-295-5500 or visiting https://chetola.com.
About Chetola Resort
Explore Chetola Resort at Blowing Rock, an 87-acre resort within walking distance of the quaint mountain village of Blowing Rock and adjacent to a 3,6000-acre National Park nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains of Western North Carolina. The resort offers first-class accommodations in Chetola Lodge, 1-4 bedroom luxury Condominiums or the private Bob Timberlake Inn, fine dining at Timberlake’s Restaurant, relaxation in the Spa at Chetola Resort and a variety of recreational activities and amenities across the resort. Chetola also features exceptional meeting and conference facilities and is a popular destination for weddings and events.
About Artist Brenda Councill
Artist Brenda Councill is well known nationally and in the High Country. Her career spans over 40 years with studio and gallery locations in New York, East Hampton, Los Angeles and Atlanta. Her monumental public art projects include the largest mural dome in the southeast at the North Carolina Research Campus, Kannapolis, NC. Appalachian State University features the largest scale sculptural mural, “Transmission” – an abstract narrative representing higher education, on the ceiling of the Reich College of Education building. The Belk Library on campus features an ascending 85 foot mural titled “Quest for Knowledge.” The late Irwin and Carol G. Belk sponsored these landmark works. UNC-TV featured the making of this work on “NC Now.” In 2017, she completed the life-size bronze sculpture of Elliott Daingerfield permanently installed in front of the circa 1890 Blowing Rock studio of the famous American impressionist. Dr. Lawrence J. Wheeler (NC Museum of Art) dedicated this sculpture and related, “We have a great artist in our midst.” Rumple Presbyterian Church on Main Street features a ceiling mural, “Heavens Light” in the Narthax. The Appalachian Theater of the High Country (built in 1938), located in Boone, will debut a 50 foot mural by Ms. Councill encompassing the history of the theater and Watauga County.
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