With so many people investing in real estate these days, renting for speculative purposes has become nearly impossible. Personally, I believe that water always finds its way to the ocean, and we, as artists, will find ways around this challenge.
After the floods in Asheville, a hotel investor decided not to move forward with a downtown project to remodel a building into a boutique hotel. That building became a pop-up gallery space for all displaced artists called the River Arts District Outpost. Today, 24 N Lexington Avenue showcases the work of 150 artists affected by the storm. Since August 1, 2025, I have maintained a small pop-up studio within this gallery space.
A pop-up studio is a temporary, often small-scale creative workspace set up for a limited period of time. It offers the essential facilities of a full studio without the long-term commitment or overhead of a permanent lease. The setup can be dismantled and reassembled in another location. Its temporary nature can also serve marketing purposes, creating a sense of exclusivity and urgency.
Until December 1, 2025, I will be showing my work here and will be available for workshops and conversations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. most days, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, when the River Arts District Outpost is closed. I am also planning a day-long workshop on portrait painting.
In the meantime, I am preparing for an exhibition in the Netherlands scheduled for April next year.
