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Burnsville Today
By the People, for the People
Yancey County Library Celebrates 70 Years of Student Art
Exhibit features works from art schools that operated in Burnsville from 1945 to 2015
Published on Feb. 9, 2026
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The Herring-Kivette Gallery and Archives at the Yancey County Public Library is hosting a six-month retrospective exhibit showcasing student artwork created at two major art schools that operated in Burnsville, North Carolina from 1945 to 2015. The exhibit includes paintings, photos, newspaper clippings, and other memorabilia related to the schools' history and the thousands of students who attended over the decades.
Why it matters
The exhibit celebrates the rich artistic legacy of Yancey County, which was home to nationally renowned art schools that attracted students from across the U.S. for over 70 years. The schools played a key role in preserving the region's mountain culture and natural beauty, which inspired generations of artists.
The details
The exhibit features work from the Burnsville Painting Classes at SeeCelo, which operated from 1945 to 1961 under the leadership of renowned watercolorist Frank Stanley Herring and his partners. It also includes pieces from Painting in the Mountains Studio, which was founded in 1966 by Herring students Everett Kivette and John Bryans and continued operating until 2015. The schools attracted both accomplished artists and amateurs seeking to hone their skills, all drawn to Yancey County's inspiring natural scenery.
- The exhibit opened on January 21, 2026 and will run through June 27, 2026.
- The Burnsville Painting Classes at SeeCelo operated from 1945 to 1961.
- Painting in the Mountains Studio was founded in 1966 and operated until 2015.
The players
Frank Stanley Herring
A nationally-known painter and leading U.S. watercolorist who founded the Burnsville Painting Classes at SeeCelo in 1945.
Everett Kivette
A Herring student who co-founded Painting in the Mountains Studio in 1966 and operated the school until 2015.
John Bryans
A Herring student who co-founded Painting in the Mountains Studio in 1966 with Everett Kivette.
Theresa Coletta
The Regional Library director who worked with the Kivettes to plan the Herring-Kivette Gallery and Archives.
Jody Higgins
A library board member and longtime friend of the Kivettes who helped establish the Herring-Kivette Gallery and Archives.
What they’re saying
“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”
— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee (Instagram)
What’s next
The exhibit curators are requesting that anyone with artwork or memorabilia related to the Burnsville art schools contact the Herring-Kivette Gallery and Archives to potentially loan items for the ongoing exhibit.
The takeaway
The Herring-Kivette Gallery and Archives' retrospective celebrates Yancey County's rich artistic legacy, showcasing how the region's natural beauty and community-driven art schools nurtured generations of painters and fostered a lasting appreciation for the mountain culture.
