The Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League has been active in Western North Carolina for over forty years. Started in 1967 the League’s arts exhibits and programs have set standards of excellence for the area, and our arts education programs have employed some of the area's finest artists, and sculptors, as well as teachers of national reputation.

The inspiration for the Swannanoa Valley Fine Arts League -- the area's oldest group of community artists -- grew out of a ladies' luncheon back in 1967, at Black Mountain's historic Monte Vista Hotel.  It was there that a Mrs. Guilford (a noted artist from Pennsylvania who'd retired to Black Mountain) quickly realized the abundance of creative expression blossoming in her adopted village, and lost no time in urging her fellow artists to form a league of their own.

Black Mountain, NC is at the eastern edge of Buncombe County and has a rich history of being an arts and crafts cultural community. The arts tradition runs deep in Black Mountain inspired by the internationally famous Black Mountain College. For a short time in the middle of the twentieth century a small town in North Carolina became a hub of American cultural production. The town was Black Mountain and the reason was Black Mountain College. Founded in 1933, the school was a reaction to the more traditional schools of the time. At its core was the assumption that a strong liberal and fine arts education must happen simultaneously inside and outside the classroom.

The college closed in 1956 but its influence is evident in the variety and number of studios, galleries and museums in the valley. The arts lover can spend days exploring resources such as the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, the Old Depot Arts and Crafts Center or just browsing the many galleries in town including The Sourwood Gallery, AnTHM Gallery or Seven Sisters Gallery.

Our History
SVFAL Objectives are to provide:

•A setting to cultivate the creative talents of beginning and accomplished artists;

• a permanent and continuous gallery space for member exhibits and receptions;

• a home for operation of the league includingclassrooms, meeting rooms, and workshop areas;

• and working “entrepreneurial” studio spaces for members where they can also sell their work.



To become a member, please send $35
​(payable to SVFAL) to treasurer Stan Skeen,
​350 Bee Tree Rd.
​Swannanoa NC 28778

Click here for Membership
Brochure
Board
President
Ron Maffett
ronsue3@charter.net

Treasurer
Stan Skeen
Cathy Skeen
stanskeen@att.net

Corresponding Secretary
Martha Raines
martyraines@charter.net

Recording Secretary
Susan Lueck
susanlueck1@gmail.com

Program Chair
Denise Geiger
geigerjd@charter.net
& Fran Greenburg
greenbergfrances@yahoo.com

Open Studio Coordinator
Fran Greenburg
greenbergfrances@yahoo.com

Publicity
Susan Shaw
sshaw47@hotmail.com​
Susan Hanning
​​​suehanning@aol.com

​​Website/Newsletter
Karen Paquette
svfal.info@gmail.com

Workshop/Class Coordinator
Ron Maffett
ronsue3@charter.net
Eileen Ross​
eileenross@charter.net

Hospitality Chair
Sally Johnson
​ sassysj13@yahoo.com
& Nancy Clausen
nancy@clausen.net

Gallery
Ann Whisenant
dawhi7s@att.net

Librarian
Lynn Newhouse
lynn.newhouse@gmail.com

Historian
Jack Williams
judithwilliams@charter.net

Artists-in-Residence
Mary McMurray

Don Campbell
doncampbell@charter.net















Lake Tomahawk is just a short walk from
The Red House Studios and Gallery
Check out this link to find out more about
Black Mountain and the Blue Ridge National Historic Area
We are located next to the historic
Monte Vista Hotel on
​W. State Street
​Black Mountain, NC 28711
Click here for Committee
Brochure​
for Art in Black Mountain