Schedule of Events:
5:00 pm: ARTtalk: "Threading Communities," Kelsey Merreck Wagner
ARTtalk is a series of four events offering intimate, behind-the-scenes discussions with select artists from the visual and performing arts worlds appearing on the summer series. ARTtalks include:
“Threading Communities,” Kelsey Merreck Wagner
Introducing Kelsey Merreck Wagner’s artist’s residency at the Jim Thompson Farm in the Pak Thong Chai District, Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand in 2024. Wagner will discuss a selection of the exhibiting artists in Threading: Contemporary Art of Thailand, on view at the Turchin Center July 3-Dec 6.
About Kelsey Merreck Wagner
Kelsey Merreck Wagner (b. 1990) is a textile artist, anthropologist, and environmental activist. She received her B.A. (studio arts; focus: printmaking) at Western Michigan University, her M.A. (cultural studies & sustainability; focus: community-engaged arts) at Appalachian State University, and is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Michigan State University (anthropology; focus: environmental art and activism).
She has exhibited work internationally in Canada, Thailand, Cambodia, and Italy, as well as shows across the united states including Illinois, New York, Texas, North Carolina, Michigan, Virginia, and Ohio. Her work is held in private, public, and institutional collections around the world. She is represented by Warin Lab Contemporary in Thailand.
Wagner’s creative process addresses human-environment relationships, especially our connections to animals, the impacts of climate change, and the influx of trash in local ecosystems. Her earlier projects, which focused on elephants, bats, oysters, mussels, dolphins, and birds — were made from large monoprints, which she painted, embroidered and drew on before stuffing and sewing the pieces together into sculptures. Her ongoing work with textiles are weavings made with plastic bags and recycled materials. The process of weaving abandoned mediums into a narrative of human/product/environment relationships points to the complex web of ecology we live in, destroy, and seek to protect.
As a social-practice artist, she collaborates with artists, educators, and community members via research, workshops, and public art projects. She is a co-founding member of the ARTWORMS Mekong Artist Collective, as well as a committee member for the Blue Ridge Fiber Guild. Additionally, Wagner is a curator with a history of exhibits focused on socio-cultural-environmental issues.
Location: Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, 423 West King Street, Boone, NC 28608
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm: Summer Exhibition Celebration
Engage with visiting artists and fellow arts advocates, enjoy live music with Trevor McKenzie and Friends and refreshments, discover the exciting exhibitions showcased across six galleries by local, regional, national and international artists.
Webs of Significance: Center Award & Grant Winners
May 2-October 4, 2025
Gallery A & Petti / Peiser Gallery
The non-profit organization Center shares with the Turchin Center a commitment to change the world through the power of the visual arts. One of Center’s most significant contributions is its annual award and grant program, which has supported thousands of artists over the years. Webs of Significance features many of the 2024 award-winning photographers from across the country.
I Remember: Elizabeth Stone
June 6-November 1, 2025
Mayer Gallery
Photographer Elizabeth Stone thinks deeply about community connections and how people gather memories in meaningful ways. Sharing in the participatory multi-generational stories of I Remember is an opportunity to connect with extended communities that are both specific and anonymous. The installation includes identifiable individuals; at the same time, we see ourselves as part of a collective whole.
Image and Music: John Cohen
June 6-December 13, 2025
Bickers Gallery
The Turchin Center partners with photographer/filmmaker/musician/folklorist John Cohen’s extended family and gallerist L. Parker Stephenson to bring to campus an exhibition of Cohen’s Appalachian photographs of many of the region’s traditional musicians. Cohen coined the term “High Lonesome Sound” to describe old-time American mountain music.
Threading: Contemporary Art of Thailand
July 3-December 6, 2025
Hodges and Community Galleries
Central to the mission of the Turchin Center is a commitment to showcasing international artists. Turchin is pleased to present the seventh international series, Threading: Contemporary Art from Thailand, showcasing the art of 21 dynamic contemporary artists living and working in Bangkok and Saen Suk, Chon Buri, Thailand in collaboration with the university’s Office of International Programs.
Location: Turchin Center for the Visual Arts, 423 West King Street, Boone, NC 28608
7:30 pm: Celebrating Our Country and Community through Music
A Classic Concert Series Event
Supporting Sponsorship provided by App State Campus Store and Broyhill Family Foundation.
Funded in part by the Satie Hunt Broyhill Endowment for the Performing Arts in honor of Dr. William L. Pelto, former Dean of the Hayes School of Music
Bring the whole family to an inspiring musical event! Faculty from the Hayes School of Music and young musicians from Cannon Music Camp’s 57th season present an interactive concert for all ages. Celebrating Country and Community through Music kicks off the lead-up to the U.S. Semiquincentennial, marking 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. Enjoy familiar tunes performed by soloists, chamber groups, singers, bands, and keyboardists, concluding with a thrilling full-orchestra finale. This family-friendly concert connects generations, celebrates communities, and promises to inspire. Don’t miss this unforgettable experience!
Location: Rosen Concert Hall, Broyhill Music Center, 813 Rivers Street, Boone, NC 28607
