Bender Gallery

06/23/2026

In Guardians and Butterflies Spring Break, Hunt Slonem pairs his iconic butterflies with guardian figures that seem to watch over the composition. Vibrant color and the artist’s signature rows of dots and slashes create a animated celebration of renewal and transformation.⁠
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oil on canvas ⁠
48 x 48 inches⁠
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06/22/2026

The exquisite Stellar Sonata by Fran De Anda draws viewers into a dreamlike world where symbolism, nature, and imagination converge. Rendered in oil and gold leaf, the painting combines an anthropomorphic bird figure with celestial imagery in a scene that feels both ancient and otherworldly.⁠
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Based in Mexico City, De Anda is known for his meticulously detailed surrealist paintings inspired by mythology, alchemy, and archetypes. Working with traditional techniques and often grinding his own pigments, he creates works that explore themes of creation, fate, nature, and the unseen forces that shape our world. ⁠
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oil, gold leaf on canvas ⁠
31.5 x 23.5 inches⁠
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.de.anda ⁠
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Contemporary Art

06/19/2026

We were delighted to welcome students from The Fine Art Studio, led by Alan Trosman, for an artist talk with Linda Gritta at Bender Gallery. Gritta’s solo exhibition Common Ground is on view through June 27. Stop by and experience these vibrant new paintings in person.⁠
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06/18/2026

Part creature, part garden, Beautiful Beast wanders through a moonlit world where flora and fauna merge into a single fantastical organism. Intricate botanical patterns and flowing ornamental details transform this mythical beast into something both strange and elegant⁠
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Columbus, Ohio artist Laine Bachman is known for her magical realism paintings that blend mythology, folklore, and the natural world. Her richly detailed works are filled with imagined creatures, lush vegetation, and surreal narratives that invite viewers to explore worlds just beyond the edge of reality.⁠
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acrylic on canvas⁠
18 x 24 inches⁠
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06/16/2026

Moonrise by Jeff Snell emerges from a series of photographs that the artist combines and reworks into a single composition. Grounded in abstraction, the painting layers color, shadow, and luminous light to create an reminiscent sense of place. Rather than depicting a specific landscape, Snell captures an atmosphere—one that feels at distant, and immersive.⁠
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acrylic on canvas ⁠
40 x 30 inches⁠
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06/15/2026

Tango Riot by Helmut Barnett is a collision of abstraction, color, and movement. Sweeping ribbon-like forms create a lively, rhythmic backdrop for floating geometric shapes rendered in luminous hues of turquoise, gold, violet, and pink. The composition feels both spontaneous and carefully orchestrated, inviting the eye to wander through a space where recognizable forms seem to emerge and dissolve.⁠
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Known for his distinctive visual language that blends hard-edge geometry with expressive abstraction, Barnett creates paintings that balance precision and improvisation. In Tango Riot, vibrant color, layered motion, and a touch of surreal humor come together in a work that feels energetic, inventive, and engaging.⁠
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Tango Riot⁠
acrylic on canvas⁠
60 x 60 inches⁠
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06/10/2026

New work by Linda Gritta has arrived as part of her solo exhibition Common Ground, on view through June 27. Inspired by a visit to New Zealand, this painting reflects Gritta’s ongoing exploration of abstraction through hints of landscape—expansive skies, shifting water, and fragments of terrain emerging through expressive color and gesture. Originally from Chicago and now based in Asheville, Gritta creates work that balances observation, memory, and imagination.⁠
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06/08/2026

New from Seth Haverkamp, this captivating still life showcases the artist’s mastery of light. A simple glass jar and suspended pinecone become the focus of a glowing constellation of color and atmosphere.⁠
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An internationally acclaimed painter known for both portraiture and imaginative still lifes, Haverkamp draws inspiration from beauty, color, and the drama of light and shadow. Here, the ordinary becomes magical, suspended somewhere between observation and imagination⁠
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Still Life 4⁠
oil on panel⁠
6 x 9 inches unframed⁠
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06/04/2026

Join us June 5 for an artist reception and opening of Common Ground, a new solo exhibition of paintings by Linda Gritta. Layered with luminous color, gesture, and atmosphere, Gritta’s abstract works invite reflection, connection, and a shared visual experience.⁠
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While you're here, catch the First Friday Art Walk throughout downtown Asheville from 5-8 pm.!⁠
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Snippets and Clues⁠
oil and acrylic on canvas⁠
36 X 48 inches⁠
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06/02/2026

Dafne by surrealist Laine Bachman draws on Greek myth Daphne transformed into a tree. A dreamlike, mystical scene where branches, birds, and creatures intertwine. Framed in luminous gold bas-relief

acrylic on canvas
36 x 24 inches


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