Carlton Gallery to hold moving sale
After 21 years, noted gallery leaves Watauga River location

Special to The Mountain Times

After twenty-one years in the Creekside Building, Toni Carlton is planning to move Carlton Gallery across Hwy 105 once again. She started in 1982 as a weaving studio called Woven Works. In 1987 she changed the name to Carlton Gallery and moved in the upper level of the Creekside Building which was known as The Kiln Room. Toni Carlton states, “After many floods, challenges with beavers, raccoons, and a leaky roof, it’s a little sad to say good-by to the Creekside Building, but our move into the gallery formerly known as Antonaccio Fine Art is exciting, energizing, and exhilarating”.

Toni Carlton, the owner of Carlton Gallery in Foscoe, will move her gallery into the building that formerly housed the Antonaccio Fine Art Gallery. Photo submitted.

Toni Carlton wishes to thank the many artists, literally hundreds, who have helped to create, inspire and support the gallery, originally known as Woven Works Art Gallery and Studios and then Carlton Gallery. Over the years their fine art and contemporary crafts have graced the walls, pedestals, jewelry cases, shelves and gardens. Beginning with weavers and moving into potters, painters, sculptors and jewelry designers, Toni Carlton has selected artists internationally, nationally, regionally and locally known for their talents and expertise in their fields.

One of the first painters to join Creekside Gallery was Warren Dennis, an Art Professor of Toni Carlton when she was attending ASU, who still exhibits his art at Carlton Gallery. Some early gallery artists included Debbie Arnold, Martha Gimlin, Tim Ford, Kathryn Burrows, Wayne Trapp, Norma Murphy, James Kerr, Richard Walters, R.T. Morgan, Stoney Lamar, Bill Brown, Pat and Will Pilchard, Barbara Timberman, and Gary Beecham, just to name a few. Many of her professors from ASU besides Warren Dennis showed their work over the years including Noyes Capehart Long, Bill Dunlap, Marianne Suggs, Peggy Polson and Ron Propst.

As a tribute to those gallery artists who have passed…Anne Wilder, Sharon Kuhne, Dean Adylott, John McLaughlin, John L. Neff, Jerry Clemons, Linda Phillips, Dorothy Williams, Joe Czarnecki, Robert Broderson, Anita Wooten, Margaret Consley and most recently, Tao Strong Stein and David McCaig, Toni Carlton acknowledges their gifts and presence they had in the gallery as she says good bye to the building known as Creekside.

Carlton Gallery at Creekside has been a landmark for many visitors, artists, and friends of the community. The energy and spirit of Carlton Gallery at Creekside is continuing in a new location just across Hwy 105 in the Antonaccio Fine Art Gallery building. Carlton Gallery will open in this gallery space for the Memorial Day weekend and is pleased to exhibit the art of Egidio Antonaccio. The last days at Creekside will be Mothers Day weekend.

Toni Carlton plans an artist studio sale at Creekside on May 25 and 26 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in which her artwork from her private collection, including her grandmother Nellie Carlton’s weavings, art and weaving supplies and loom, frames, gallery display items, futons and miscellaneous furniture will be for sale.

Everyone is extended a warm welcome to visit Carlton Gallery when it opens on May 23. The fine art of the gallery’s standing artists including Andrew Braitman, Jim Crompton, Mary Dobbin, Vae Hamilton, Holly Glasscock, Gina Strumpf, Kate Worm, Eloise Pope, Louise Pinto, Freeman Beard, Roy and Jossie Nichols, Jack Stoddart, Bill Farnsworth, Janice Gay-Maker, Jane Desonier, Elwin Porter, Mia Katrin, Laura Fly, Tana Acton, Carol Francis Goode, Ursula Shuler, David Finck, Bobby Phillips, Keith Allen, Robert Crowell, Donna Craven, Holly Fischer, Harry Seng, Bob Wager, John Littleton/Kate Vogel will fill Carlton Gallery’s attractive new space with both traditional and contemporary upscale fine art.

Almost full circle, back across Hwy 105 Toni Carlton is moving Carlton Gallery to reopen May 23, Memorial Day weekend. Gallery hours are 10 -5 Tuesday through Saturday and 11 – 5 on Sunday. Gallery location is 10 miles south of Boone, NC and 7 miles north of Linville, NC on Hwy 105. For info please call (828) 963-4288 or visit www.carltonartgallery.com.