Grovewood Gallery Opens Carl Powell 50-Year Retrospective Feb. 21 Free Admission

“These photos are the result of 50 years of carrying a camera constantly for most of my life,” Carl Powell said, and Grovewood Gallery opened that half-century project to the public with an opening reception on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., with the artist in attendance. The exhibition, titled Carl Powell: 50 Years of Glass & Photography, is on view through April 5, 2026, at Grovewood Gallery in Grovewood Village, 111 Grovewood Road, adjacent to and below the Omni Grove Park Inn; ExploreAsheville lists the show as free to attend.

Grovewood framed the exhibition as a deliberate pairing: “This special showcase brings together Powell’s evocative photographs alongside his innovative glass sculptures.” The show places Powell’s black-and-white and color photographs side-by-side with his glass work so visitors can trace visual themes across media. Thelaurelofasheville described the retrospective as offering “a rare, side-by-side look at two practices that have informed one another for half a century.”

Powell’s photographic practice began in 1968 with a darkroom class at Georgia Southwestern State University and spans subjects and continents. He noted, “The majority were taken with film, though I moved into digital in recent years. I love photographing people in interesting situations and places with unusual compositions.” Thelaurelofasheville points to images from Powell’s travels in Ecuador and photographs of crowds mourning John Lennon in Austin, Texas, as examples of the archive he culled for the show. Grovewood says many images were selected from thousands of negatives and were professionally printed for the retrospective.

Grovewood emphasizes Powell’s glass techniques and long career: his innovative beveling transforms glass into kinetic, multi-faceted forms that create optical illusions and invite closer inspection, “bridging the gap between fine art and architectural design,” the gallery said. ExploreAsheville highlights major commissions in Powell’s resume, including pieces for the City of Anchorage, the University of Florida, the International Olympic Committee, and a recent seven-window commission for the Van Dyke Performance Space in Greensboro, North Carolina. Private collections holding Powell’s work include Robert Rauschenberg, Dale Chihuly, and Tess Harper.

Ashley Van Matre, Grovewood’s marketing director, placed the show within a long relationship: “Carl has been a resident artist here at Grovewood since 1999, and watching his work grow and evolve over the years has been incredibly meaningful to all of us. We’re deeply honored to present this body of work and excited to welcome the public into this moment with him.” Grovewood Village also maintains an active public program; Avlgo describes the site’s Bi-Annual Grovewood Village Studio Tour as an opportunity to “Explore sunlit working studios of local artists during a self guided biannual studio tour in a historic village setting, with complimentary libations from Metro Wines, free admission, and 10% off at Grovewood Gallery.”

Grovewood Gallery’s public hours are Monday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Visitors seeking more information can phone the gallery at 828-214-7768 or reach out via the gallery’s website. Grovewood promoted the opening on social media with “Join us this Saturday at Grovewood Gallery for the opening reception of Carl Powell: 50 Years of Glass & Photography!” The retrospective remains on view through April 5, offering Asheville audiences a concentrated look at five decades of Powell’s photographic eye and glasscraft.