"They Went So High, Way Over Slavery Land"

"The People Could Fly," an exhibition of 12 watercolor paintings by Hendersonville artist Costanza Knight, will be on view at UNC Asheville's Blowers Gallery February 1-28. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

The exhibition was inspired by a traditional African-American folktale of the same name. The watercolor paintings depict slaves who escape their bonds by calling upon their native African magic and literally flying away from the plantation.

Knight, a former speech and language pathologist, often finds inspiration in stories and poetry. A native of Florida, she spent her summers in Saluda studying painting with her artist father. Later she studied art at a university in Florence, Italy, and at UNC Asheville.

Blowers Gallery, located on the main floor of UNC Asheville's Ramsey Library, is open Monday-Thursday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, call 828/251-6546.