Welcome to the Blog for TAAS Gallery. www.taasg.com We'll be adding information about things going on in and around the gallery. Highlighting special features, musical acts, art and craft demonstrations, special guests and events in the town. So check back with us, get on our mailing list and you can get our weekly news letter or our monthly magazine;
Appalachian Features Magazine
The Upside of Down
ReplyDeleteWhile we all struggle to maintain economic security in this “downturned economy”, sometimes it’s difficult to stay positive and keep plugging. Where and how do you find the faith and the hope that is so strong a quality of human existence?
There is a place where the Upside of Down is running full throttle!
Right off I-40, Exits 72 and 73, is a beautiful little town, Old Fort, North Carolina, where in the face of adversity, they keep plugging. There is an atmosphere of Southern Hospitality and family outreach that pervades the town, most prevalent right on Main Street, Old Fort. There you will find the Catawba Vale Café, and the TAAS (The Appalachian Artisan Society) Gallery.
Owned by husband and wife team Dru and Bev Heldman, the TAAS Gallery and Catawba Vale Café hosts a unique atmosphere that rivals big city business. TAAS Gallery promotes Fine Art and Crafts from local and Appalachian region artisans. As you enter the Gallery or the Catawba Vale Café you are greeted by Bev’s inviting southern welcome. The walls surround you with fine art, paintings, photography, handmade wood products, Native American crafts, Appalachian consumables, jewelry, wood carving and woodcrafts, flutes, glass art, pottery, quilting, and many more hand crafted items, and gifts. The Old Fort Factory Store Outlet promotes the local industries of Parkers Hosiery, Pisgah Yarns, and Butterfly Blends Soy Candles and melting tarts.
With an attitude of “failure is not an option”, Dru and Bev are determined to rise to the challenges of running a business in this downturned economy. Making changes and “Don’t Panic” has been the key. The Café has turned to catering, changing the menu, and the hours of operation, to on-line coupons. The Gallery has made changes to its marketing base, adding a new on-line Appalachian Features Magazine. The Appalachian Artisan Society now encompasses 244 counties, in the 7 state, Appalachian Mountain Region. The magazine features TAAS Artist of the Month, events and classes for arts and crafts, and regular columns such as Explore Small towns in Appalachia, and Native American Art. Unifiweb.com is another one of Dru’s talents. Web site design and hosting, and offering computer repair.
Quoting from the town’s website www.oldfort.org “You'll feel a change the moment you arrive in Old Fort. Our down-home southern welcome can bring a smile to the weariest traveler. Our winding roads and mountain vistas are famous for untying knots in overworked shoulders, and we've yet to meet a pair of feet that could resist the toe-tapping sounds of our mountain music. In Old Fort, you won't find tourist glitz or overdeveloped sprawl. Just real people, real beauty and real fun.”
This is real Americana, the real Upside of Down.
Dear TAAS,
ReplyDeleteHow do I become a member? My name is Gary Carden and I have a number of DVDs on Appalachian topics. I also paint. I would like to visit the gallery and talk to you.