End of Year Letter: 2024 2025
As we look back on 2024, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who made this year so special at FTAS.
With the arrival of 2025, we reflect on a year filled with growth, creativity, and meaningful impact at Florence Thomas Art School. Despite the challenges posed by the lingering effects of Hurricane Helene, we remained steadfast in our mission to provide fine arts and heritage crafts experiences to Ashe County and beyond.
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In 2024, we embraced change and innovation while staying true to our roots. With over 80 workshops offered this year—spanning mediums such as stained glass, oil painting, eco-printing, felting, chair caning, basket making, barn quilt painting, and more—artists were able to join us at any point in their creative journey and find inspiration. We are deeply grateful to our veteran instructors, whose dedication is the heart of our school, and to the new instructors who brought fresh perspectives and energy to our programming.
Exciting 2024 Highlights​
​This year brought several new initiatives and milestones:
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Private Art Parties: A huge success in 2024, our Private Art Parties allow groups to customize their art experiences based on age, skill level, and medium of choice. These gatherings have proven to be a fun and meaningful way to connect through art.
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New Website and Workshop Registration Platform: We successfully launched a new website and workshop registration platform, making it more accessible and user-friendly than ever before. The updated platform streamlines the registration process, allowing students to easily browse workshops, enroll, and receive automated confirmations and reminders.
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Children’s Programming Expansion: From our Children’s stART Program to the addition of new children-focused workshops, we prioritized giving young artists the tools to grow and thrive.
In October 2024, we had the privilege of partnering with Ashe County Elementary Schools and art teachers Elizabeth Hatch and Katherine Greene to bring art into the classroom. This initiative created a supportive space where students could express themselves and find moments of joy during a difficult time for the community.
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Since 2016, Florence Thomas Art School’s stART Children’s Program has provided high-quality art materials to 3rd graders in Ashe County public schools and home-schooled students of the same age. Access to art enhances child development by fostering motor skills, decision-making, and cultural awareness. In a Tier 2 county like Ashe, programs like stART are vital in ensuring every child has access to creative experiences.
In December 2024, Ashe County 3rd graders received an art bag filled with watercolor paints, brushes, and creative prompts to inspire at-home creativity.
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In January 2025, students will receive a second art kit for the Painted Story Quilt project, which focuses on storytelling through art.
A look inside the 2024 stART Kits for Ashe County 3rd Graders. Each student received an art kit with watercolor brushes, paints, colored pencils, paper, and creative prompts.
Director of Community Engagement Samantha Oleschuk distributed 85 Creativity Kits for Recovery and Resilience, which were delivered alongside warm Thanksgiving meals through Generation Ashe's Home Delivered Meal Program.
The delivery of the Creativity Kits was made possible by a collaborative community effort. Special thanks go to Rebecca Chaplin and Alan Briggs of AARP NC as well as Harry Corpening, who welcomed Oleschuk on his meal delivery route in Lansing.
Creative Aging Programming: In September 2024, we received funding from the Haven Foundation to relaunch the SPARK Creative Aging Program in 2025, a vital initiative that fosters creativity and connection among older adults in our community. And, we partnered with the NC Mountain Region of AARP to organize Creativity Kits for Recovery and Resilience after Hurricane Helene. Featuring mixed media paper, watercolors, and prompts for self-expression, these kits were distributed to older adults along local meal delivery routes in Ashe, Watauga, and Polk counties.
Exhibitions: Our exhibitions were a cornerstone of the year, with highlights including Color My World, an exhibit of work by the local High Country Watermedia Society; Mountain Mystique, an open submission show of local art celebrating the allure of the mountains; and our annual Corey Anne Celebration of Women in the Arts exhibition. Featuring an Opening Reception, Symposium, and an Expressive Arts Workshop alongside a month-long exhibit of local and regional artists, this celebration has become a hallmark of our programming. This event honors the life of Corey Anne Considine by uplifting emerging female artists and celebrating women’s contributions to the arts.
Prayer Flags after Hurricane Helene: Following the impact of Hurricane Helene, Florence Thomas Art School partnered with the Ashe County Public Library and the Ashe County Arts Council for the Flags of Hope Project, inviting community members to decorate prayer flags. These beautiful flags were displayed throughout Lansing, offering encouragement and hope to residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
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Board of Directors Update: We were thrilled to welcome Patricia Leonard—longtime volunteer, student, and Vice President of the Blue Ridge Art Clan (BRAC)—to our Board of Directors, bringing invaluable insight and passion to our leadership team. We also welcomed Tom Ingledue, Instructor of Biology at Wilkes Community College, whose expertise and enthusiasm further strengthened our board. Additionally, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Board members who stepped down in 2024: Cindy Price, Jennifer Russell, and Jennifer Gardiner. A special thanks to Jennifer Gardiner for her dedicated service as Secretary, helping to guide Florence Thomas Art School with her time and talents. Lastly, it's with great sadness that we share the news of Foundation Board member Thomas "Tom" Efford's passing in 2024. Tom was a devoted guiding force in the Florence Thomas Art School family and a dedicated advocate for the arts in Ashe County. We are grateful for him, his service, and his leadership.
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Blue Ridge Art Clan: We hosted 8 meetings of the Blue Ridge Art Clan (BRAC), an organization founded in 1978 by Florence Thomas to promote and support excellence in fine arts. BRAC provides monthly opportunities to engage in educational activities through programs, demonstrations, workshops, and critiques.
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Leadership Transitions: 2024 marked a major leadership change as we bid farewell to Executive Director Kathleen Janowiak, who retired after 10 years of dedicated service. We welcomed Jessa Gerrald as Director of Operations and Samantha Oleschuk as Director of Community Engagement. Under their guidance and the dedicated support of Operations Manager Leila Spriggs, Florence Thomas Art School is poised to continue its mission with renewed energy and vision.​​
Looking Ahead to 2025...
As we prepare for the year ahead, we are excited to expand the variety of workshops we offer, including new mediums and techniques, and present new exhibitions that further showcase the diverse talents and perspectives of our region’s artists. We are especially committed to growing our children’s programming and creative aging programming, ensuring artists of all ages in our community have access to even more opportunities to explore their creativity.
In the first few months of 2025, we will:
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Lead our first sessions of the SPARK Creative Aging Program:
In partnership with Generations Ashe and Forest Ridge Assisted Living, we are bringing monthly creative activities to older adults in Ashe County. Sneak peek: January features collage and February features watercolor painting!
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Teach weaving lessons in the Ashe County Afterschool Program: In February of 2025, we are excited to bring hands-on weaving lessons to the Ashe County Afterschool Program. This initiative will allow us to visit each elementary school and the middle school across the county, sharing the timeless craft of weaving with young students. This program reflects our continued commitment to making arts education accessible to children throughout Ashe County.​
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Install and celebrate our newest exhibition, Art of Resilience: Opening January 29, Art of Resilience will feature 13 artists whose work explores resilience in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Join us on Saturday, February 1 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm for an Exhibit Reception to celebrate this exhibition and the artists’ personal and community stories of recovery, strength, and renewal.
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Offer a free Doc Shop seminar and low-cost photography session for artists: FTAS Director of Community Engagement Samantha Oleschuk is leading a free informative seminar focused on how to effectively document your artwork to make a lasting impression in gallery submissions. Following the seminar, artists can bring up to 5 artworks to photograph on the gallery walls, illuminated with our gallery spotlights.
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Facilitate the new expansion of the stART Children’s Program: The Painted Story Quilt Exhibit, featuring vibrant quilts created by Ashe County 3rd graders as part of the Children’s stART Program, will be on display at Florence Thomas Art School from March 5–22, 2025. This project provides a creative space for students to process emotions following Hurricane Helene while celebrating their resilience.
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A special reception will be held on Friday, March 14th, from 4–6pm, to celebrate children’s art and honor the young artists, their teachers, and families. The reception is part of the Children’s Art Crawl, in collaboration with the Ashe County Arts Council. During the event, Florence Thomas Art School will showcase the Painted Story Quilts, while the Ashe County Arts Council will exhibit artwork from young creators across the county in various mediums.
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At the end of March, Bilingual author Wayne Pitts will also present to the 3rd graders a captivating reading of his book, Chita, the Famous Chicken from Toto, adding to the celebration of creativity and community. Through stART, we empower children with art’s transformative tools, fostering a generation of confident and expressive storytellers.
Special Thanks!
None of this would be possible without the incredible support of our community.
From workshop participants to our donors, volunteers, staff, and board members at Florence Thomas Art School and the Paul and Florence Thomas Memorial Foundation, your belief in the power of art has carried us through another transformative year. Together, we’ve cultivated a space where creativity flourishes, connections deepen, and Florence Thomas’s legacy lives on.
And, thanks to you and your immense generosity, our end-of-year campaign raised over $17,000. Your kindness and your belief in our work means that we can expand our impact in our community.
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As we enter 2025, we are reminded of the vital role art plays in healing and hope. The aftermath of Hurricane Helene reaffirmed this for us, and we remain dedicated to serving our community through creative expression.
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Thank you for being part of the Florence Thomas Art School family. We look forward to another inspiring year together.