For artist, curator, and gallery owner Sandra Bottinelli, the River Arts District has always been more than a place to work — it is a living, breathing source of inspiration.
She moved to Asheville in 2011 and was immediately drawn to the RAD’s creative energy. Her first studio was at the iconic Wedge Studios, where she founded and ran WhiteSPACE, a working studio and gallery, for ten years. She later moved into Riverview Station, opening Modern Muse Gallery, a large, light-filled space that became home to six working artists. “It was a dynamic, inspiring environment where visitors could engage with artists and see the creative process firsthand,” she recalls.
Bottinelli describes herself as an evolving artist, blending realism and abstraction into what she calls “abstract realism.” Her influences span from Van Gogh, who first inspired her to paint at age 21, to Pollock, O’Keeffe, Franz Marc, and Chagall. “I love being surrounded by other artists,” she says. “It is inspiring to see what others do and how they interpret the world around them.”
That world changed in September 2024, when Hurricane Helene brought catastrophic flooding to the area. Riverview Station was submerged under 21 feet of water, and Modern Muse was destroyed. “So much mud. So much destruction. It looked as though a bomb had gone off,” she says. “It was nothing I had ever seen before.”
Her piece in the Asheville Regional Airport exhibit, "Creation of a Path," was made before the storm but sat in floodwater for three days. The work depicts a woman in a black leotard and joggers, wearing pointe shoes and standing in relevé, a crow perched on her head as if cheering her on. “It is a display of how we create our own paths,” Bottinelli explains — a message that feels even more resonant after the storm.
While the loss was devastating, she has found a new beginning. Today, Bottinelli Fine Art is in the Wyre retail spaces on Roberts Street in the heart of the RAD, housing five resident artists and showcasing four satellite artists across both 2D and 3D mediums. She also lives above the gallery, fulfilling her dream of working and living in the same creative space. “I feel as though I have a fresh start, a clean slate, and I am excited for it,” she says.
When asked what advice she would give to other artists facing loss, she is direct: “Keep on going. Always keep going.” It is a philosophy that has carried her through recovery and will guide her as she looks ahead — to her next body of work, and perhaps to her next adventure in Spain or New York City
Because for Sandra Bottinelli, whether in art or in life, the path is something you create, step by determined step.
You can view Bottinelli's piece "Creation of a Path" in the exhibit "Mountain Memories" at Asheville Regional Airport, on display through October 30, 2025. The exhibit is displayed in the Asheville Regional Airport Art Gallery located in the new North Concourse, post security – please note only ticketed passengers can view this area.
