GALLERY MÉLANGE is pleased to present In Their Footsteps, a group exhibition featuring 19 local artists presenting new work inspired by influential twentieth-century figures who shaped Western North Carolina’s creative landscape.

Throughout the twentieth century, Western North Carolina attracted artists drawn to light, material experimentation, and alternative ways of working. Their practices spanned painting, sculpture, ceramics, craft, and conceptual art and left a lasting imprint on the region’s cultural life. This exhibition invites contemporary artists to engage that legacy through personal responses rather than direct imitation.

This exhibition invites contemporary artists to engage that legacy through personal and material responses. Inspired by the region’s broader creative context, the works reflect diverse approaches to materials, process, place, and philosophy. The new works form a conversation across time, honoring Western North Carolina’s creative foundations while contributing fresh perspectives and voices.