River Arts District artists held an informal wake Thursday night in remembrance of John Payne, a man known in Asheville as a pioneer for helping revitalize the stretch of artist studios along Riverside Drive.
Mountain Xpress A&E Editor Steve Shanafelt remarks on Payne’s “kinetosaurs” and his arts-friendly work.
And Asheville Citizen-Times arts reporter Paul Clark had a nice piece today about Payne:
The owner of the Wedge building on Roberts Street, Payne was as warmly regarded for his personality as he was held in high esteem for his sculptures. He built steel skeletons of birds and dinosaurs that move in lifelike ways via pulleys and computer controls. He had leased several of his pieces to museums in the United States. …
Payne’s partner, Gwenn Roberts, a professional vocal soloist, said Payne went into the hospital Tuesday after suffering a massive stroke. Roberts had been taking care of him at her home in Weaverville following his quadruple bypass heart surgery.
Payne’s purchase and renovation of the Wedge building, a large white building visible from the Smoky Park Bridge, helped establish the River Arts District as Asheville’s second major arts area, after downtown. Payne has leased several studios to artists in his building, which also now houses the Wedge Brewing Co. …
With his big smile and shock of white hair, Payne was often spotted at Clingman Avenue Coffee and Catering Co., where he and other artists often started their day with coffee and conversation.