(Highlands, NC) Many people wonder if there is an artist in them. Some people say there is an artist in everyone. It just has to be unleashed. Old Edwards is present Art Start February 19 - 20, the first in its “Adventures in Art” weekends in conjunction with Summit One Gallery and The Bascom: Center for the Visual Arts. Renowned professional artists— like seasoned impressionist Jane Smithers and photographer Greg Newington—will help novices discover the artist in them.

This inspiring weekend of art, food, wine and fun will prepare guests to continue down an artistic path. Participants will take away their own hand-crafted art journal and all the inspiration and techniques needed to embark on a self-discovery through art journaling, sketching and watercolor.

The Two Night Adventures in Art Package Includes:

• Deluxe Accommodations at Old Edwards
• Friday Night Reception/Exhibit at The Bascom with Photographer Greg Newington
• Saturday Journal Making at The Bascom
• Lunch, Wine and Art Inspiration with the Acclaimed Artist/Teacher Jane Smithers at Summit One Gallery
• Afternoon Sketching and Watercolor at The Bascom
• Saturday Night Champagne Reception at Old Edwards Inn with Artists and Fellow Adventurers

- Schedule of Events Follows. Events can be Purchased Separately or in Lodging Package -–

ART START ITINERARY

Friday, February 19
6:30 PM Opening Wine Reception/Exhibit with Photographer Greg Newington
The Bascom, Free

Saturday, February 20
10:00 AM Journal Making
The Bascom, $50 Includes Materials ($75 for Both Bascom Events Purchased Together)
12:15 PM Lunch, Wine and Art Inspiration with Jane Smithers
Summit One Gallery, $25 Including Lunch and a Class of Wine
2:00 PM Afternoon Sketching and Watercolor
The Bascom, $50 Includes Materials ($75 for Both Bascom Events Purchased Together)
6:00 PM Champagne Reception with Artists and Fellow Art Adventurers
Hummingbird Lounge at Old Edwards, $15 Includes Champagne Greeting, Hors D’oeuvres and a Cash Bar

Call 866-787-2625 or visit www.oldedwardsinn.com for more details. Space is limited at all events, so book your stay today.

About Old Edwards Inn and Spa: (www.oldedwardsinn.com) Recently honored with the 2010 TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Award (top ten in the US) Old Edwards Inn and Spa welcomes visitors to North Carolina’s high country with its unique blend of relaxed luxury recognized worldwide. A spectacular outdoor heated mineral pool, world class spa, award-winning dining, and golfing at the private Old Edwards Club are signature experiences at this full-service mountain resort. Guests are surrounded by the warmth and character of Old-Europe architecture and authentic period antiques. Many rooms, cottages and suites offer private patios or terraces—some with captivating rooftop views of Main Street and downtown Highlands. All of the luxury accommodations include champagne arrival, twice-daily housekeeping, two 24-hour business centers and two 24-hour Butler’s pantries with Dove Bars, fresh fruit and soft beverages. European bedding, fine Italian linens, plush robes & slippers, rainfall showers, heated-tile bathroom floors, in-room safes and Wi-Fi enhance the in-room experience. Edwards Inn and Spa also boasts a state-of-the art fitness center with wellness classes that include guided hikes into the scenic surrounding mountains known as “waterfall country.”

Guests enjoy onsite shopping at the Spa Boutique, Acorn’s Boutique or Acorn’s Annex featuring fine antiques and home accessories. Dining venues include Madison ’s Restaurant and Wine Garden serving innovative New South Cuisine, The Rib Shack and Sports Corner, the Spa Café and the Poolside Bar and Bistro. Special events and weddings take place at The Farm—a lushly landscaped Old Edwards property located one mile from downtown Highlands featuring The Barn, the Farmhouse with luxury lodging, Bridal Pavilion, Bridal Bridge over a scenic pond and outdoor events pavilion. The Old Edwards Executive Conference Center provides a catered corporate retreat venue.

Also introduced in 2009 was Satulah, Old Edwards Private Residences, which includes 14 luxury mountain homes just two blocks of Main Street, Highlands. The Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond resort is located at 445 Main Street in Highlands, NC. Madison’s Restaurant and Wine Garden has won the Wine Spectator “Award of Excellence” every year since 2005 and the “Best Of” award in 2008 and 2009.

About Summit One Gallery: (www.summitonegallery.com) Summit One Gallery…Highlands Cashiers Premier Destination Fine Art Gallery…Open All Year…Located in “The Galleries” on South Second Street, Highlands.

About The Bascom: Center for the Visual Arts: (www.thebascom.org) The Bascom, a nonprofit center for the visual arts in Highlands, has a beautiful new home as of May 2009: a six-acre, “green,” architect-designed pastoral campus where it serves people through high-quality rotating exhibitions, classes and educational presentations. The campus features historic buildings, a covered bridge, a nature trail, a 27,500 square foot main building for two-dimensional adult and children’s art, a separate reconstructed Studio Barn for three-dimensional art, a café, a shop, a terrace for venue rentals, and much more.

The new complex and landscape, evocative of the former horse stable and agrarian landscape that once thrived there, inspires audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Individuals come together, participate in studio art classes and public programs, share cultural experiences, and enjoy the synergy of art and nature. In The Bascom’s classrooms and studio spaces, beginner and advanced artists create new works. The Bascom offers a respite from the demands of day-to-day life, an escape.