Tri State Sculptors Association

     Mission:  The Western North Carolina Sculpture Center is dedicated to                      connecting people with the arts through exhibitions, interactions with artists,         and the opportunity to experience creative processes in an inclusive                            environment.

     Vision:  Our vision at WNCSC is to enrich the community by offering a unique          series of programs and access to creative processes that encourage hands on        engagement.  We aim to inspire creativity by direct visitor participation and a           rich understanding of sculptural processes coming directly from our working           and visiting artists. Our programming aims to foster an understanding of a               range of personal and creative perspectives as we balance traditional                         sculptural processes with contemporary practices. Our educational                               programming will augment the artistic experiences for grades K-12 with not             typically offered processes found in a traditional school setting. We will be               seeking a programmatic schedule to offer workshops for military veterans to           acknowledge their sacrifice in a vibrant and welcoming community of artists.

     History:  The Patterson School Foundation property is nestled in Happy                    Valley, a quiet mountain valley near Lenoir NC, 12 miles south of Boone and            Blowing Rock.  The School belonged to Samuel Legerwood Patterson and                  Mary Senseman Patterson.  They bequeathed their property to the Episcopal          Church for the purpose of establishing an agricultural school to develop “the          fine minds of the mountain boys”.  Nineteen boys enrolled in September,                  1909, and subsequent student bodies have risen as high as 150. Samuel                      Patterson himself served North Carolina in many ways, including being a                    member of the NC Senate, NC House of Representatives, a Trustee of UNC at          Chapel Hill, and the state’s first elected Commissioner of Agriculture.

​     The property consists of 1400 acres. 

​     The Patterson School Community is proud of its heritage and continues the              commitment to the land and to society, as those before us. It is with this                    history in mind, that the Patterson School Foundation paves the way for a new        millennia, continuing a 100 year legacy dedicated to education and agriculture.

​     To learn more about The Patterson School Foundation, click here.