The History of NorthLight Studios

The flood of 1916, Asheville NC

Wendy Whitson and her husband, John Davis, purchased the building in April of 2011. Upon researching they discovered it was originally a tannery (salt-curing) facility, circa 1904. The upstairs space was the office, and has the original tile floor, moldings, doors, and even some painted graphics on a brick wall. The street level was the actual tannery, and hides were loaded directly into rail cars from the rear of the building.

Bartlett Street and Depot Street cobblestones, 1976

Along the way, it belonged to the Sternberg Family, and an old advertisement says "We buy anything and sell everything." Which also included hides, sheep skins, beeswax, goose feathers, wool, ginseng, second hand machinery, I-beams and scrap metals of all descriptions. 

In April 2011, Asheville Greenworks was the main tenant downstairs, and remained for two years. They moved to Riverside Drive in 2013, where they still have their offices.

A gift shop moved in immediately, and have since relocated to Gerber Village. 

The summer of 2015 was a renovation of the downstairs location, to create new studio space for additional artists. The spring of 2018 has brought more changes, and more artists. Bill George & Bernadette St. Pierre-George joined our creative team in April. And to ring in 2019, Nan Davis and Sandy Lear join our talented stable of painters.

The artists keep open hours during the week and on Saturdays, so please stop in. Holiday hours are posted on this site and on our Facebook and Google Business pages. 

Many artists in the River Arts District open the doors to their studios. So please come, visit the artists, and have lunch or a beverage at 12 Bones (M-F), Ultra Coffee Bar, All Souls Pizza, White Duck Taco Shop, Nourish & Flourish, Penny Cup Coffee or  Fresh West. It makes for a wonderful outing!

NorthLight Studios is the small building on the right, 1976.

The flood of 1916, and the Depot, on Depot Street.

pre-construction

During construction.