Valley River Arts Guild at the MAC, Murphy Art Center
  • ~ About Us ~
  • ~ Adult Classes ~
  • ~ Youth Classes ~
  • ~ Murphy Art Walk ~
  • ~ The Murphy Art Xplosion ~
  • ~ SMArt Tour: Smoky Mountain Art Studio Tour ~
  • ~ Legacy Support: Living and Lasting ~
  • ~ Our Impact in the Community ~
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​Thanks to everyone for enjoying the 2024 SMArt Tour,
for exploring our art community in our region, and especially for supporting the local artists
on the Tour!

The Valley River Arts Guild works hard to promote our area as an art destination, offering lots of wonderful artsy things to do
for our local peeps
and our visitors alike!

And we do it all with our member volunteers,
serving our community
​with our hearts and hands!

Stay tuned for more events this year and next! 

SMArt: Smoky Mountain Art Studio Tour

We hope to do it again in 2025!!
​
The SMArt Tour
took place during the last 2 weekends of

​April, 2024, at 14 working art studios,

featuring 1-3 artists at each studio

and over 70 artists and crafters at The MAC, Murphy Art Center, 

with all studios and galleries located in Western North Carolina

and North Georgia.
The SMArt Tour

​A self-guided art studio tour in the Appalachian

Smoky Mountains of Cherokee County,

North Carolina and North Georgia,

was held during the last two weekends

of April 2024
,
​April 20-21 and 27-28.


The Tour involved visits to the open working

studios of potters, painters, photographers,

fiber artists, glass artists, furniture makers,

wood carvers, clay sculptors, and much more!

Studios were open 10am-5pm on both weekends

of Saturdays and Sundays, rain or shine.


​You could watch the artists at work, purchase

their arts and crafts directly from the artist,

and enjoy the Smokies in beautiful springtime!

Check in was at The MAC, Murphy Art

Center, anytime during Studio Tour weekends

​to pick up a Studio Tour brochure and enjoy

the demonstrating artists at The MAC,

before embarking on a fun couple of weekends

​ of visiting individual artist studios.



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Next year, make your first stop to pick up a SMArt Studio

Tour guide at The MAC, Murphy Art Center,

12 Peachtree Street,on the Square, downtown Murphy, NC.

And always available, The MAC features the local

​arts and crafts of 70 artists.

Glass, wood, fabric art, quilts, photography, paintings,

jewelry, books, furniture, metal art, stained glass, clay

sculptures, mosaics, wood burning, pottery, baskets,

pillows, puzzles, soaps, lotions, cards, crochet,

​& much more! 
​ ​
Email: [email protected]     Phone: 828-360-3038



On Tour weekends, Artists at work at The MAC:

Kathy Borchelt, Paintings and drawings
Email: [email protected]

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Liisa Cull, Pine needle baskets, fiber home decor, pillows.
Email: [email protected]
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Debra Carroll, Poured acrylic paintings
Email: [email protected]

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Debra and Dave Vanderlaan, Celebrate Life Gallery, 561-601-6484 Photography and digital art, large canvases and prints in several sizes as well as puzzles.
Email: [email protected]
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​Lana Foster, acrylic paintings and pencil drawings.
Email: [email protected]
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Our 2024 Smoky Mountain Art

​ Studio Tour Artists:

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Acorn Woodworks, John Lachance, 1221 Warren Dr., Murphy, NC. 828-361-9953: Handcrafted outdoor Adirondack furniture: loveseats, benches, tables, chairs, swings, serving trays, director's chairs & tables, footrests, & plant stands.
Email: [email protected] 
Directions to studio: from Murphy fire station on Hiwassee St, Lakeside Dr to Talc Mine, L. Talc Mine to Warren. Turn L. Travel one mile to green house on L.

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The Bear Factory, Chris Gagnon, 30 Pine Way, Murphy, NC. 314-605-9968: Chainsaw carving, an in-depth realistic approach to chainsaw carving.
​Email: [email protected] 
​Directions to studio: Take Hwy 64 west, turn R on Hwy 294, Left onto Radford Rd, 1/4 mile, right on Pine Way, 1st driveway. 

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Holly Pottery, 60 Lilac Trail, Murphy, NC, 828-541-2198: Whimsical and functional pottery, plates, bowls, mugs, and home decor.
Email: [email protected]
Directions to studio: take hwy 64/74 west toward Tennessee (continue west past hwy 294), continue on hwy 64/74 west just past Bell Hill Rd, then turn right into Willow Tree Ln, turn R on Lilac Trail.

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Howling Wolf Art, (at LandHaven Woodworks) 3163 Brasstown Road, Murphy, NC, 770-845-3331: Spirit Animal paintings, owls, horses, bears, deer, wolves, inspired by the natural and supernatural world.  ​
​Email: [email protected] 
​
Directions to studio: From downtown Murphy, travel S on Peachtree Street, straight through 1st light. Take E US 64 for 4.6 miles. Turn R onto Old US64 at the traffic light. In 1.7 miles R at Clays Corner (old country store) onto Brasstown Rd. Drive past the Folk School, stay on Brasstown Rd for 1.7 miles. Long driveway on the R. (Don't let your GPS take you into Brasstown Hills subdivision!). Drive all the way up the hill on paved road to studio.

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LandHaven Woodworks, 3163 Brasstown Road, Murphy, NC, 706-429-4195: Wood wall decor, Intarsia Mosaic images from carefully cut & shaped wood, decorative bandsaw wood boxes. 
​Email: [email protected] 
Directions to studio: From downtown Murphy, travel S on Peachtree Street, straight through 1st light. Take E US 64 for 4.6 miles. Turn R onto Old US64 at the traffic light. In 1.7 miles R at Clays Corner (old country store) onto Brasstown Rd. Drive past the Folk School, stay on Brasstown Rd for 1.7 miles. Long driveway on the R. (Don't let your GPS take you into Brasstown Hills subdivision!). Drive all the way up the hill on paved road to studio. (Don't let your GPS take you into Brasstown Hills subdivision!). Drive all the way up the hill on paved road to studio.

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Sammi Crow Painting Studio, (at LandHaven Woodworks) 3163 Brasstown Road, Murphy, NC, 239-560-4072: Acrylic Paintings on wood, canvas, and other natural materials. Also dabbling in Landscape Photography. 
Email: [email protected] 
​
Directions to studio: From downtown Murphy, travel S on Peachtree Street, straight through 1st light. Take E US 64 for 4.6 miles. Turn R onto Old US64 at the traffic light. In 1.7 miles R at Clays Corner (old country store) onto Brasstown Rd. Drive past the Folk School, stay on Brasstown Rd for 1.7 miles. Long driveway on the R. (Don't let your GPS take you into Brasstown Hills subdivision!). Drive all the way up the hill on paved road to studio. (Don't let your GPS take you into Brasstown Hills subdivision!). Drive all the way up the hill on paved road to studio.

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Callie & Boots, 19 Birdie Way, Murphy, NC, 828-371-5520: Vintage & modern fabric totebags, portfolios, watercolors, & beads.
​Email: [email protected]
​
Directions to studio: From downtown Murphy, go south on hwy 64 towards Hayesville. Turn right on Harshaw Place, continue on Mulkey Dr, continue on Driver Ave, to Birdie Way.

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Flamingo Art Glass, 59 Indian Paintbrush Dr, Andrews, NC, 239-770-8190: Fused and cut-glass art, home decor, dishes, and ornaments. ​  
​
Email: [email protected]

Directions to studio: Hwy 19/74 towards Andrews, Continue on hwy going east towards Topton, Turn R into Granny Squirrel subdivision over red covered bridge. Follow signs to studio.


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Katerina Richter Whitmer, 707 Dick Jones Road, Hayesville, NC, 828-389-7164, 904-377-7281: Eclectic oil and mixed media paintings in all sizes, including portraits, wildlife, landscapes, birds, & abstracts.
​Email: [email protected]
Take Hwy 64 east of Hayesville, R on Geisky Creek Conn, (across from Eagle Fork Vineyard), turn L on Old Hwy 64, R on Eagle Fork Rd, right on Dick Jones Rd.

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Denise Phillips Ceramics, 177 Nichols Lakeland Dr, Hayesville, NC, 616-401-6509. Ceramic sculpted & hand-built clay animals, garden totems and gnomes. 
​
Email:[email protected]
Directions to studio: Hwy 64, turn S onto 175, 2nd road to the right. Third house on the left.


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"A Turning Passion", David Phillips Studio, 177 Nichols Lakeland Dr, Hayesville, NC, 616-401-6509. Wood turning, Footed and natural-edged wooden bowls, lidded vessels and urns.  
​
Email: [email protected]
Directions to studio: Hwy 64, turn S onto 175, 2nd road on the right. Third house on the left.


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"In My Garden" Mosaic Glass Art Studio, 68 Wilderness View, Morganton, Georgia, 706-455-1363. Beautiful mosaic glass art to hang on the wall and mosaic glass garden decor. 
Email: [email protected]​   
​Directions to studio: From Murphy, Hwy 19 to Loving Rd, L on High Lance, R High Country, R on Wilderness View.

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Carl Green Woodworking Studio, 68 Wilderness View, Morganton, Georgia, 706-455-5238. Turned wood bowls and handcrafted decor items.
Email: [email protected] 
​Directions to studio: From Murphy, Hwy 19 to Loving Rd, L on High Lance, R High Country, R on Wilderness View.

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SMArt StudioTour produced by the Valley River Arts Guild artists and crafters of The MAC, Murphy Art Center.
​12 Peachtree Street, on the Square, downtown Murphy, NC 828-360-3038   Open daily Monday - Saturday 10am-5pm, Sundays 11am-4:30pm, and late Friday evenings until 8pm
Open early on Studio Tour weekends!




Valley River Arts Guild operates as a
501(c)3 non-profit arts organization
for Western North Carolina and
​North Georgia in Murphy North Carolina.
© 2022 Valley River Arts Guild, All Rights Reserved
The MAC, Murphy Art Center
™

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  • ~ About Us ~
  • ~ Adult Classes ~
  • ~ Youth Classes ~
  • ~ Murphy Art Walk ~
  • ~ The Murphy Art Xplosion ~
  • ~ SMArt Tour: Smoky Mountain Art Studio Tour ~
  • ~ Legacy Support: Living and Lasting ~
  • ~ Our Impact in the Community ~