Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
This sounds waaay cool. I’ll be there.
Please join us in celebration of Arts 2 People’s first annual Freaks of Asheville Calendar and Lexington Avenue Arts and Fun Festival (LAAFF) for the gallery exhibit’s opening event on Friday, Aug. 14 at Pack Place in downtown Asheville from 5-7pm. The exhibit runs through Aug. 29. This entertaining show will feature photographs from the Freaks of Asheville Calendar as well as photographs from the LAAFF, which is ever so fun and just around the corner on Sunday September 6th!
The Freaks of Asheville Calendar will capture the power and personality of Asheville eclectic and unbridled cultural creatives. Each month will feature a classic portrait of a noted Asheville “Freak” and tell the story behind their uniqueness. All photos were shot by Michael Traister, photographer for Sock Monkey Dreams and Faces of Izzy’s. Joining forces with Traister to bring the calendar to fruition are Kitty Love and Jon Elliston.
Together, they are compiling these photos as well as a list of key dates in Asheville freak history: when did certain “freaky” establishments open and close? When did freakish things happen? Other milestones in local freak and counterculture history? The Freaks Calendar is calling for your input on this as well. Please, come one, come all, and tell us which dates deserve a mention in the calendar!
The Pack Place Gallery exhibit will also feature sorts of images from LAAFF’s past. Photographers include Frank Merenda, JJ Jackson, Kitty Love, and many more… The Lexington Ave Arts and Fun Festival, LAAFF, will take place on Sunday of Labor Day weekend, September 6th from 11am – 9pm between College Street and the I 240 overpass on N. Lexington downtown. This free annual end-of-summer celebration of Asheville’s artistic and musical communities brims three downtown blocks with all local art, food, beer, music, street performers, and random acts of creativity.
For more about LAAFF visit www.lexfestasheville.com.
Both LAAFF and the Freaks of Asheville Calendar are fundraisers for Arts 2 People. To find out more, visit www.arts2people.org.
Hi good people!
Asheville IS a swell place to live! I have lived in a quite a few cities, big and small, and travel to many others because of my job. Yet, after fourteen years as a tax-payer here, I am always glad to come home to Asheville.
It’s a sweet place to raise a family, full of good quality and genuinely affordable options for both children’s and adult education, with great food, national and local entertainment, fascinating history, and a vibrant arts community. Oh, and did I mention it is pretty darn beautiful?
Is it perfect? Not by a long shot. We have the usual issues with matters of race, class, environment, and development. But, find me that perfect place. If any of the bloggers here in the GrumpOsphere want to find me a perfect city, or better yet, improve this one, you have my total support!
But meanwhile, I look forward to spending another decade or three relishing the funky, joyful, growing town of my choice, with all its many committed artists, adorable little kids, civic activists, and silly carmudgeons. That city is called Asheville, North Carolina, and my kids are natives! : )
Sincerely,
Lauren O’Leary
Don – could it be that some folks grew up and got over the "we’re better than you – the best place in the world" mentality?
Michael,
Keep up the great work and dont let the trolls distract you. You’ve got an amazing body of work at http://www.traisterphoto.com/portfolio.html.
I think your "Freaks of Asheville" project does a great job of capturing one of the many unique elements of our town.
Considering the historical demographics and geographical location of Asheville, most folks are amazingly tolerant of the variety of life and people who now make Asheville their home.
Even the conservative folks generally take a "live and let live" approach to the alternative culture of town.
But there will always be one or two jerks who get their kicks by going on the internet and criticizing anything or anyone just to try to piss folks off. Ignore them. They live for attention and stirring up controversy and aren’t worthy of attention.
Hello…
I am the so called "Feces of Asheville" (ouch!) photographer and posted a response a few days ago only to have it removed by Ashvegas.com? Am I not allowed to defend the writings of these haters, wow! I’m not sure why there is such a backlash against this project? I have been a photographer in NC for 20 years and have had other "controversial" or odd ball projects but none have ever evoked the reaction that this one has. I have learned not to take criticism personally so I can take it and I believe even bad press (or bloggers) is good press. Usually it is baseless as is the case here. Most everyone who has seen the show has given me a very positive response and to judge the motives and people involved is very disheartening and unfair to them also. I would gladly meet ANY of you who have felt compelled to write such negative things in person if you’re bold enough to show your face which I seriously doubt. You are entitled to your opinions whether I agree with them or not and you are not being forced to buy the calendar. Please hold off on such strong opinions until you either go see the show and read the artists statements or see the calendar. If you still don’t get it then fine. If you would care to meet in person I will even buy the first round of coffee or beer. Please just stop the hate. "Asheville status quo and dull"….? You need to get out more and look at things in a more positive light. Obviously neither one of you has actually had to live in such a place and there are plenty out there. (try Greensboro or Charlotte!) I will say I agree with you that I do find it turns my stomach a bit when people constantly brag about how great it is here but you have to understand that there is a reason they feel this way. I have lived all over the South including some other very cool cities like Athens, Chapel Hill and I love Asheville for what it is. Despite what you think it is a very unique place, especially for the South and I will defend it to the end. I love Asheville. It is full of lovely people both freaks and non freaks and most of them are supportive of other Ashevillians. In closing I again say as they say in Asheville….."peace out" my friends. You’ve wasted enough of my time.
Michael
http://www.traisterphoto.com (for more photos of feces and other such joys!)
Wow Cantonese, You drove what iv’e been talking about for a long time!!!! And its true this is the most Status Quo, Boring town I have ever seen. Thank you for your words!!
"Together, they are compiling these photos as well as a list of key dates in Asheville freak history" –
Really? A freak history of Asheville. Come on.
And the crap in Asheville goes on. Let us ponder for a moment and praise ourselves again for being oh so different and unique. ( as long as we do not look around at other ciites and how much more interesting and diverse they are ). I am so tired of ‘Asheville the Great’. It isn’t. It is a boring slice of WNC that is bigger than the rest of the slices. That’s about it. Every city has it’s freaks, college crowds, homeless, oddities, art scenes. etc. We are actually a pretty dull city in comparison.
"The Freaks of Asheville Calendar will capture the power and personality of Asheville eclectic and unbridled cultural creatives." –
Ha, ha, ha. Or " Will capture the power and personality of what posers and attention craving nerds they are." You all are missing the ‘normal’ element here. Oh, but then again, it is all in the cover of the book, not the book within. I’ve seen a few of these photos and the people in them are not freaks, they are egotistic and will do anything to have their image smeared on any surface. Not creative individuals. Half of what I’ve seen I would not want to see in my home within a calendar. Good luck with selling this to the tourists.
Yet again another worthless reason to "Freak It up" in Asheville, I thought this town based its self off being freaky 24-7. Nice to call to arms when an excuse comes long, no wonder we are a laughing stock to the surrounding counties.
Freaks of Asheville? Another Feces of Asheville photo exhibit? What else would you expect from the Paris Hilton of the South?