Forceful
Come
"The mountains are an incredible inspiration, and the campus, set in a valley surrounded by the hills, feels like a home where I am nurtured and fed while I develop my art. The studios are superior. I never want to leave.”    


Learn

“When I discovered Cullowhee Mountain ARTS was in the mountains, near Asheville, the Cherokee Reservation, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, and the Nantahala Outdoor Center, I decided to treat myself to this wonderland while learning more about my art. How could you go wrong?”

Create

“It is heaven on earth to be supported on every level to do my creative work without unwanted interruptions. The teacher and the other artists were like my personal cheering team, providing me with enormous energy.”



Collaborate
"When I saw the list of topics and teachers for the workshops, I wanted to take all of them. Then I realized no matter what I came for, I would be among a group of dedicated artists like me coming to learn from stellar artist/instructors.” 

Welcome to Cullowhee Mountain ARTS
Quality Art and Creative Writing Workshops in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS offers exceptional Workshops in Mixed Media, Painting, Ceramics, Book Arts, Printmaking, and as of 2014, Creative Writing. Our distinguished faculty with national and international reputations provide a weeklong immersion in their topic supplemented with lectures, demonstrations, portfolio talks, and readings. Cullowhee Mountain ARTS is committed to supporting the personal and professional development of every artist and writer, whatever their level, by providing the setting and facilities for intense learning, art making and writing, shared in community. We believe that the ARTS enliven community life and that in a supportive community ARTS thrive best. Our programs include the annual CMA Summer Faculty Exhibition at the WCU Fine Art Museum, summer faculty presentations and youth art camps. More...

Come. Learn. Create. Collaborate

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS' 2014 programs include an exciting range of Visual Art and Creative Writing Workshops. Imagine yourself in a studio where artists are exploring innovative, multi-media printmaking methods, experimenting with paint and cold wax medium, forming exquisite ceramic dinner ware, learning plein air painting surrounded by majestic mountains and summer botanicals, or being prompted to go further with writing while in the valley of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Imagine that you will be sharing ideas, meals, and outings with other artists from around the country. At Cullowhee Mountain ARTS you will find a like-minded community of passionate learners, energized by wonderful instructors where daily concerns are left behind. More...

Creativity Nurtured in a Mountain Setting

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS Summer ARTS Series of Art and Creative Writing Workshops are held on the campus of Western Carolina University, in the midst of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Cullowhee is located 45 miles west of Asheville, the thriving arts community with downtown galleries, the Asheville Art Museum and the River Arts District, where artists' working studios mingle with galleries and cafés housed in the old warehouse district. Nearby in Black Mountain is the site of the famous Black Mountain College, whose memory is kept alive at the Black Mountain College Museum in downtown Asheville. Cullowhee Mountain ARTS  is also 25 miles from the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, only 17miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway, and 20 miles to the  Cherokee Heritage Center, Cherokee, North Carolina. More...

Art Trips and Retreats Combine Rich Experiences with Learning

Cullowhee Mountain ARTS offers two additional opportunities that enhance the workshop experience:
The Art + Trip to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico, and the Lake Logan Retreats + Workshops for Artists and Writers.

Imagine taking a trip to the top cultural getaway in New Mexico, meeting up with other artists from around the country and beyond, and having the opportunity of taking a specialized workshop with a nationally recognized artist-instructor in their own studio. Then consider the addition of private gallery tours, museum trips, and studio visits. We call it an "Art Immersion Trip"  More...

Every artist needs time for reflection. Cullowhee Mountain ARTS has located the perfect place for artists and writers to escape the demands of life and learn in a picturesque setting. Lake Logan is surrounded by acres of pristine wilderness in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina - approximately 40 miles west of Asheville. Here you can meet with other artists to further develop your creative experience. The retreats combine workshops with stellar instructors, movement and mindfulness sessions, music and fire circles, guided wilderness walk and other nurturing experiences. More...
NEWS                        


Lake Logan Retreat Center in 
Western North Carolina
May 18 - 23 
Artists: Lisa Pressman
       Sara Mast
Poet: Kathryn Stripling Byer

September 15 - 21
     Artists: Rebecca Crowell                Cathryn Nash 
Poet: Cecilia Woloch