The Hackensaw Boys and Asheville’s Momentum Gallery: You Will Regret Not Visiting

My #ThemeSong today is Jonah by the Hackensaw Boys. It speaks beautifully, if cryptically, to the perspective of a poor white boy in the American South. If you’ve never seen the Hackensaw Boys live, you should. They aren’t your grandpa’s bluegrass- Modest Mouse‘s Tom Peloso often plays with them.

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While visiting UNC-Asheville before my 17YO son begins college there this Fall 🤗, we hesitantly walked into Momentum art gallery with his 19YO sister and 10YO brother and immediately took note of the exquisite (and exquisitely expensive) art surrounding us. “We won’t touch anything,” I said, looking between my youngest and the couple sitting at the card-like table along the wall. As we looked around, awestruck at times, we felt more like we were in a museum than an expensive art store. We appreciated every single piece in the place and, before we left, I thanked the couple at the table for welcoming the public into this magical space for free. My 10YO actually suggested they have a donation box, as we could leave a $5 or $10 donation, but we could not afford a fraction of the cost of anything in the store. The couple were Shifra and Jordan Ahlers, the owners of the store; and they were as grateful for our appreciation as we were for their generosity. We signed the guest book, providing my email address, before leaving; and the Ahlers invited my UNC-Asheville-bound son to return any time and for as long as he would like - to contemplate, study, or just to talk ♥️.

Momentum Gallery is a rare and special place that you should regret not visiting if you find yourself in Asheville. (Note: the piece pictured below is made entirely out of wood, and it is a small miracle to behold.)

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