What is the Open Studios Project?
The Open Studios Project is a unique collaborative workspace hosted by the Cherokee County Arts Council in downtown Murphy. While it’s a side project of the Council, it plays an important role in supporting local artists by providing low-cost retail and studio space inside the historic E.C. Moore building.
With seven booths across two large rooms, Open Studios allows artists to experiment, connect with the public, and sell their work directly. Each artist or group of artists commits to staffing the space one day per week, keeping it open and vibrant.
Why It Matters
In a rural community like Cherokee County, affordable downtown space is rare. Open Studios gives artists access to a public-facing, central location without having to shoulder the full cost of a solo space.
- Artists can test new work and gauge public response
- Visitors can meet artists/artisans and see their process
- Low overhead makes it sustainable for working creatives
- Promotes year-round cultural vibrancy downtown
Meet the Artists
The Open Studios currently hosts seven booths:
Room 1
- Booth 1: Kristin Wilder (jewelry) & John Scroggins (blacksmith)
- Booth 2: Mountain Potters Network – a collective of functional and decorative ceramicists
- Booth 3: Teri Jones – painter working across acrylic, watercolor, collage, and more
Room 2
- Booth 4: The Baerreis Family – art boxes, puzzle boxes, jewelry, fused glass, sculptural layered wood art
- Booth 5: Brasstown Woodturners Guild – rotating artists creating turned wood items & more
- Booth 6: Pamela Palma – weaver and fiber artist creating textiles and wearable art
- Booth 7: Milena Celic – iconography and folk art using traditional techniques
When to Visit
Each booth staffs the space one day a week. Here’s the current schedule (subject to change, and often artists come and go on other days as well):
| Day | Booth On Duty |
|---|---|
| Monday | Booth 4 – Baerreis Family (www.baerreis.com) |
| Tuesday | Booth 2 – Mountain Potters Network |
| Wednesday | Booth 6 – Pamela Palma (pamelapalmadesigns.com) |
| Thursday | Booth 5 – Brasstown Woodturners Guild |
| Friday | Booth 1 – Wilder/Scroggins |
| Saturday | Booth 3 – Teri Jones |
| Sunday | Open by appointment only |
Plan Your Visit
📍 Location: 33 Valley River Ave, Murphy, NC (google map link)
🕒 Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10am–5pm
🎟️ Admission: Free – artwork available for purchase
Want to Learn More?
If you’re interested in joining Open Studios or connecting with an artist for a class or commission, visit the Open Studios or contact the Cherokee County Arts Council at (828)835-0550
