Art From the Garden brings the beauty of Black Mountain's gardens into the gallery with a plein air exhibition created on-site during BMCA's 20th annual Art in Bloom garden tour. The show features work by local and regional plein air artists who painted and created in the gardens during the tour, alongside works celebrating the Swannanoa Valley by members of the Swannanoa Valley Art League's Plein Air Group. Plein air (from the French en plein air, "in the fresh air") refers to artwork created outdoors and on location — capturing a place as it truly is, in the moment. This exhibition is the final chapter of Art in Bloom — a celebration of the artists who showed up with their supplies and their vision, and the garden owners who opened their spaces and shared their passion. Gallery sales are split 50/50 between artists and BMCA, with proceeds supporting arts programming throughout the Swannanoa Valley. Running alongside the gallery, our 3rd Annual Plein Air Artist Market offers a chance to bring a piece of Art in Bloom home. Browse smaller works by the Art in Bloom plein air artists — affordable, one-of-a-kind souvenirs. Because this market exists to support and thank the artists for their dedication, 80% of all market sales go directly to them. The exhibition opens with a free public reception on Friday, June 26, from 5:00–6:30 PM, with light refreshments. The gallery and market are then open Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM, June 29 through July 31. Accessibility note: Our elevator was damaged during Hurricane Helene and is not yet operational. We are actively working with the town and funding organizations to restore full accessibility as soon as possible. There are 3 stairs from street level to our front door and 13 stairs from the main floor to the upper gallery. We are happy to store strollers and mobility aids on the main floor, and the staff is glad to assist carrying a walker or mobility aid upstairs so you can enjoy the gallery. Please don't hesitate to ask.