

Reawakening: Craft Artists of Western North Carolina

The Old World Is Dying, and the New World Struggles To Be Born

Created in partnership with our Asheville-based sister organization ArtsvilleUSA, Reawakening aims to highlight artists in a region transformed by Hurricane Helene during a time of resilience, recovery, and renewal.

Morgan Laurens

Morgan Laurens (she/her/hers) is NOT REAL ART’s editor in chief. Morgan is an arts writer from the Midwest who enjoys saying “excuse me” when no actual pardon is needed. She specializes in grant writing and narrative-based storytelling for mission-driven artists and arts organizations. With a background in printmaking, pop culture, and classic literature, Morgan believes a girl’s best friend is the pile of books on her bedside table.

The Old World Is Dying, and the New World Struggles To Be Born

Welcome to First Friday Exhibitions, a curated monthly series featuring leading lights of the creative world. Curated by NOT REAL ART Editor-in-Chief Morgan Laurens, our March 2025 exhibition includes work from Alex Berstein, April Flanders, Deb Herman, Erin Keane, Kathie Briggs, Laura Lau Klein, Laura Wood, Libba Tracy, and Terance Painter.