Put ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until puffed and golden. Remove from oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. With a flexible spatula, remove strata to

A Year-Round Guide to Franklin and Nantahala

Click on the images below to see Penland artists and their work. [gallery columns="1" type="rectangular" ids="68201,68202,68203,68204,68205,68206,68207,68208,68209,68210,68211,68212,68213,68214,68215,68216,68217,68218,68219"]

Food

Rosemary and Goat Cheese Strata

April 2014

Scenes from Penland

Penland School of Crafts is at the heart of the thriving artistic community in the Toe River Valley. Many of the country’s best glass artists call the area home.

by Erin Reitz

Click on the images below to see Penland artists and their work.

View of the Penland campus at night. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Irons in the fire. Rods heating in the Penland glass studio. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Matt Urbin, an artist visiting Penland for a retreat, works on a glass dragon with the help of assistants in the glass studio. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

A group of artists pitches in to help Che Rhodes create a large glass bowl in the Penland glass studio. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Artist Micah Evans at work. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Micah Evans, a current resident artist at Penland, holds a piece of his artwork. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Gary Beecham, glass artist • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Billy Bernstein works in the studio he and his wife Katie share in Celo, NC. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Billy Bernstein in the studio • Photo by Emily Chaplin

A work by Kate Vogel and John Littleton. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

A work by Greg Fidler. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Glass artist Pablo Soto works in his studio in Penland, NC, with the aid of assistants Courtney Dodd (left) and Amber Marshall. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Glass artist Pablo Soto in his studio in Penland, NC. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Rick Beck with his dog Static, in front of his series of “Mechanicals” – cast glass pieces. The yellow piece alone weighs approx. 150 lbs. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Handmade sand-carved glass bowls by Val Beck – with designs depicting fables. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

The Toe River Arts Council gallery in Burnsville. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Gary Beecham with one of his works, on the Penland campus. • Photo by Emily Chaplin

Editors’ Picks

Living in North Carolina

Waynesville’s Wonderful Water

Why does this Haywood County town have some of the cleanest water in the state? It’s the result of the community’s efforts to keep the forests in its watershed pristine.

by Rebecca Woltz

Travel

The High Country: Nature’s Art

The spectacular views in North Carolina’s High Country aren’t just inspiration for writers, painters, and sculptors. Those landscapes — the rugged gray face of Grandfather Mountain, the vibrant fall leaves, the deep green meadows — are brushstrokes on Earth’s own canvas.

by Georgann Eubanks

Travel

Peace in the Yadkin Valley

The sprawling vineyards and wide-open skies that stretch for miles across seven North Carolina counties offer relaxing getaways — not to mention some of the state’s finest wines — for Sunday drivers aching to escape the rush of city life.

by Krista Bremer

Editor’s Column

From Elizabeth Hudson: Chasing Ghosts

Nothing lasts forever — and that’s what makes many of our cherished moments so special.

by Elizabeth Hudson

Click on the images below to see Penland artists and their work.

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Editors’ Picks