Wilnoty has been described as a “legendary” figure among Cherokee artisans. A member of the Eastern Band, Wilnoty was born in 1940 in the Bigwitch community of the Qualla Boundary and later lived in Wolftown. As a sculptor, he is completely self-taught, taking up carving when he was about 20 years old. Because of his innate skill, Wilnoty became an overnight sensation, creating hundreds of stone carvings, each with its own mysterious iconography.

The exhibit will showcase never-before-seen work by Wilnoty selected from an extensive private collection. Sponsored by the North Carolina and the Jackson County Arts Councils, the exhibit will travel to the Native American Studies Center at the University of South Carolina in August and later to the Western Carolina University Fine Art Museum where it will be on view in 2016.

The reception is free and open to the public. The exhibit will run through Aug. 2.

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