A very large art district with lots of galleries, a building with artist studios, the North…read moreCarolina Glass Center who offers classes, and a few restaurants and a coffee shop. The Gray Line Trolley has two stops for the River Arts District - North and South. The North stop is at the north side of Haywood Rd at Roberts St just before traffic circle, directly across the street from city bus shelter. There was a low concrete wall where I sat and waited to be picked up. The North Carolina Glass Center was located down the street to the left with the bigger multi-artist studio was up the street to the right.

The River Arts District, aka RAD, is full of creativity and local charm. It feels like paint spills…read morethrough the streets, bringing every corner to life especially to old industrial buildings. You can watch artists creating beautiful pieces right in their studios -- so look for the yellow signs in front of various studios.The mix of murals, galleries, and old warehouses gives RAD a unique character. It's nice to stroll to watch, shop, and support local artists.

Here's where art is wonderfully local and diverse. An amazing store with a variety of artworks like…read moreT-shirts, cards, figurines, art prints, woodworks and so much more. For me, this is the Asheville i came to discover and is a mini indoor art faire with so much to choose from. The same people create and run a twice yearly art faire called THE BIG CRAFTY that must be seen to fully appreciate!

This is a fun store that sells many things that you don't need but you find yourself purchasing…read morefrom this fun "general store." You will not get bored and it will be a great source for that hard to buy surprise gift.

This location is a fantastic artisan boutique shopping Emporium encompassed with historical…read morenostalgia. Plenty of tourists stop for the lunch offerings when counter/table service is available.

Coming from the home of Woolworth it was great to tour a store still existing exhibiting local…read moreartist and stilling running an original lunch counter. Great use of space and glad they have been able to save this treasure of the original 5 and dime.

One of the original building for local artists. Always an exceptional blend of artists that are…read morewilling to communicate their medium with visitors. A fantastic spot to visit!

I was intrigued and fascinated by Robert Hoffman's art. He works with a lot of ceramics and creates…read moreplates, dishes, cups, and serving pieces. His technique is to press the design of lace into the ceramic piece before it is fired in a kiln. The result is the amazing and intricate ceramic pieces that are just magnificent. I wish that I had brought a piece home. There are other designers and artist in the studio. I loved the fox sculpture. It looked so lifelike and was very light. The only thing that stopped me from purchasing that piece was the price tag-$900. But, really for a sculpture by an original artist, that is not bad. It is just out of my range. There were paintings and other forms of art. The studio has a variety of artists and beautiful pieces. I would recommend stopping by and the artist are there and will talk to you. I loved learning about their work.

It isn't a very big place but the art they were showcasing is really good. I would stop in here…read moreagain the next time I am in Asheville.

cute little gallery!!! lovely array of artists and works, and business cards for each of the…read moreartists!! also a little area where you could buy some pieces which was cool to look through

this place was so cool!!! i'm so glad i decided to stop in. the building was the perfect size to…read morehave a large display of art while also not being overwhelmingly huge. the art was so amazing and there were so many pieces that i was mesmerized by. really lovely gallery.

Blue Spiral 1 is another Asheville institution that we can't help but return to. From paintings to…read morepottery to giant spoon sculptures, the gallery has a wide representation of styles and media. Recent exhibitions made use of recycled skateboards and explored the history of tattoos, both of which we found fascinating. Despite its fine arts pedigree (and pricing to match), Blue Spiral isn't stuffy, and staff won't give you the stink eye if you're just there to browse.

Absolutely an unforgettable Asheville experience!…read more Christian and I had an amazing time at the North Carolina Glass Center. We each created a piece--I made a glass pumpkin, and Christian made a pint glass--and the entire experience was fantastic from beginning to end. We recently picked up our finished pieces, and seeing how beautifully they turned out was almost as exciting as making them. The artists and staff made the process fun, comfortable, and approachable, even for complete beginners. Watching molten glass transform is incredible, but getting to participate makes it truly special. I also found a gorgeous clear glass icicle, an adorable curly glass plant spike I nicknamed "Baby Curly Cute" , and the cutest little glass measuring cup. This was one of our favorite Asheville experiences and a wonderful vacation memory to bring home. If you're visiting Asheville, GO HERE! Make something, explore the glass art, and bring home something beautiful. Five VERY enthusiastic stars from us! Thank you, North Carolina Glass Center, for such a memorable experience!

Since we travel with a carry-on and backpack, I am extremely selective about what I buy when we…read moretravel. I do, however, have a fondness for hand-blown glass and pottery. ChatGPT recommended that I definitely check out the North Carolina Glass Center while exploring the River Arts District North stop on the Gray Line Trolley, and I am glad I did. There is a good-sized shop with a wide variety of items, from larger decorative statement pieces and vases to drinking glasses and jewelry, with many items at affordable prices. While I was there, two artists were creating fall pumpkins using the furnaces, molds, and different techniques for blowing and shaping the hot glass. It was a great free demonstration that I hadn't needed to schedule or show up for at a special time. One of the artists even engaged those of us watching by asking what color he should use for the stem of the purple pumpkin he was making. Even though I still had more trolley stops and sightseeing ahead of me, I bought two hand-blown glasses that I knew I could fit into my personal-item bag. For me, buying something when I know I have to carry it around for the rest of the day and somehow get it home in my luggage is a pretty good endorsement. 8-) I recommend making the North Carolina Glass Center a must-stop during a visit to the River Arts District. You may also want to check their website before you go to see if there is a glass-making class you can sign up for.

Great studio with unique ceramic pieces as well as some clothing. The space is inviting and also…read morevery much a workspace and on our visit, they were working on curtains. Each piece is unique so it could take time to go through it all. Staff was very knowledgeable and helpful. Satake has an amazing story and the studio is a living testament to it. Definitely worth a stop while in the River District.

We were delighted to discover this Japanese ceramic artist's studio and gallery in Asheville. There…read moreare a range of pieces from small to large, and all of them are simple in shape, utilitarian and astonishing in texture and color. The boldness of his designs distinguish his works from traditional Japanese potters and yet there is no mistake as to where his influences lie.

We visited this lovely art gallery while strolling the streets of Savannah. The artists have a…read morewonderful collection with abstract, landscape and other subjects. Worth a visit

I am fortunate to own works of Weyman and Carcagno and they are among my most precious possessions…read more Do yourself a huge favor and visit Daedalus Gallery and enjoy.

This is such a fun shop to wander through! They have a very large selection of craft items by many…read moredifferent artists. We went in October and they had some fun Halloween themed items including lovely mobiles made from wood that had origami bats hanging off of them- bat mobiles- get it? That made me smile. They were also starting to bring out their Christmas crafts- it would be a great place to shop for Christmas decorations!

Mountain Made is one of my favorite places to shop in the Grove Arcade. The store has a large…read moreselection of locally made items. The staff is friendly while you browse the beautiful pieces. I'm loving glass art these days and can always add to my collection here. One of the artists I've been buying from does glassblowing demonstrations in the store a few times a week and will engrave your pieces to customize them. If you are looking for unique works of art, this is a great place to shop.