Surviving Traces

The Cherokee County Arts Council presents Surviving Traces,  an exhibition of drawings and sculpture by Linda Williams McCune, opening Friday, October 2, with a free public reception at 5:30 p.m.

McCune draws in charcoal, watercolor, ink, and graphite, and builds sculpture from wood, metal, cloth, handmade paper, and plant material. She lives and works in Greer, South Carolina, though the work keeps returning to her home place in rural Tennessee.

Several drawings came directly out of Hurricane Helene. The storm brought down 25 trees on her land, damaged her house, and left her without power for days. She kept a sketchbook through it, recording the slow collapse of a beam above her living space. Those drawings became her Vestiges series.

The sculptures are assemblages, built slowly. McCune writes about a person first, checks her memories against other family members', makes study drawings, then collects materials until every part is on hand. That collecting can take years.

Her work is held by the South Carolina State Art Collection, the Hunter Museum of American Art, the Columbia Museum of Art, the Asheville Art Museum, and the American University in Paris. She taught for years at Greenville Technical College and now works full time in her studio.

Come to the reception to see the work and meet the artist. Light refreshments will be served. If you can't make the opening, the show stays on view through October 31 during regular gallery hours.

Event details

Date: Friday, October 2, 2026 (on view September 29 through October 31)
Time: Reception begins at 5:30 p.m.
Location: CCAC Center Gallery, 33 Valley River Avenue, Murphy, NC 28906
Admission: Free and open to the public. Work in the exhibition is available for purchase
Presented by: Cherokee County Arts Council, sponsored by McNabb Properties
Contact: Rachel Watson, director@cherokeeartscouncil.org, (828) 233-5624

This program is supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.