It all began with a simple invitation. Four artists, newly acquainted, met in a coffee shop on the outskirts of Hickory to share a bit about themselves and their creative journey. Little did they know how much their lives would change after that initial meeting in Spring of 2022. Soon, a monthly ‘Artist Meetup’ began where other creatives were invited to join in on the conversation and share their own personal stories and artistic dreams. This growing group of like-minded artists, with different backgrounds and beliefs, have invested time and energy into forging solid friendships that continue to inspire and support. With a firm belief in collaboration over competition, the collective has proven that it takes a village to build something truly remarkable.

In 2023, several of these artists came together to work on an idea of hosting a one-night exhibition with a strong focus on providing guests with a memorable experience. The event featured 11 artists with works ranging from ceramics, woodworking, painting, multi-media, and photography. To further enhance the experience, live music was performed by local musicians and a wide-array of food and beverages were provided by a new, local wine shop.

The Midsummer Night with the Artists exhibition was a labor of love put together and carried out by artist friends who worked side-by-side in creating one of the most talked about events of the year. And, we’re doing it again this October 19th in the future home of NoCo Arts in downtown Newton, a dream space made possible through the vision of members within the Alchemy Artisan Collective. We hope that you will join us!