LIFE

Swannanoa Valley's youngest artists featured in show

Fred McCormick
Black Mountain News
Attendees of the opening for the Art In the Afternoon art show at the Black Mountain-Tyson Library on May 6 view work by the children in the local after-school program.

The work of dozens of the Swannanoa Valley's youngest artists was unveiled at the Black Mountain-Tyson Library on May 6, with the opening of the annual Art In the Afternoon Art Show.

In it's 11th year, the show features work from the 68 children who attend the Black Mountain after-school program and features a silent auction that will benefit a pair of area charities. 

Director of Art In the Afternoon Stephanie Sulzman, right, and Amanda Riley welcome the attendees of the opening of the after-school program's art show in the Black Mountain-Tyson Library on May 6.

Art In the Afternoon was started 11 years ago by Stephanie Sulzman. Each year the art-based program, based out of the Carver Community Center, holds a show that features pieces created by the children enrolled.  

This year, 31 items, most collaborative efforts of the children in the program, will be auctioned off before the show ends May 31. The money raised by the auction will benefit nonprofit organization Throwing Bones, which supports people battling multiple myeloma, and Trew Love Rescue & Sanctuary, which cares for abused farm animals. 

The Art In the Afternoon art show in the Black Mountain-Tyson Library features a silent auction containing work by the children in the after-school program. The auction will raise money for a pair of local charities.

Throwing Bones was founded by Black Mountain resident Kenny Capps, who was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015. Capps launched the organization with trek across the state on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in 2018. 

"The Capps have been an Art In the Afternoon family for many years, their oldest daughter came here and their youngest daughter is here now," Sulzman said. "I think Kenny is an inspiration to anyone, whether they're dealing with an illness or not.  

A silent auction featuring collaborative work by children in the Black Mountain after-school program Art In the Afternoon will raise money for a pair of local charities.

Trew Love, which operates out of Bostic, provides sanctuary for animals with special needs. 

"Animal welfare is really important to me, and who doesn't love animals?" Sulzman said. "I think it's something kids can relate to, and I love that Trew Love is providing forever homes to these animals."

This piece by third-grader Claire Riley is one of hundreds displayed at the Black Mountain-Tyson Library during the Art In the Afternoon art show, which will run through the end of May.

Children in the program work together to create pieces for the auction throughout the school year. 

"We work on these projects a lot during early release days," Sulzman said. "We do group work on those days and the know they're working on pieces that will be featured in the auction."

The Art In the Afternoon art show at the Black Mountain-Tyson Library returned for its 11th year with an opening on May 6. The show features a silent auction to raise money for Throwing Bones, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting people with multiple myeloma and Trew Love Sanctuary, which rescues abused farm animals.

The rest of the art the children create at Art In the Afternoon is displayed in the show, but not available through the auction. 

In 2018, the auction raised $800, which was presented to Black Mountain Primary to help build a new playground.