What if we could tell the truth without having to defend it?

Asheville artist Jenny Fares launches "Insects We Trust" this February—a community art project inviting participants to exchange personal truths through hand-crafted paper fishing flies. Each delicate insect carries a message etched in foil, dangling from a paperclip hook.

Inspired by the Mardi Gras "throws" gift-giving tradition, The project asks: What do you know to be true? Participants tie flies in guided workshops, then install them for strangers to discover. The exchange is anonymous, vulnerable, and designed for a moment when trust feels dangerous.

"Fishermen tie flies with care and patience, hoping something will bite," Fares explains. "That's what telling the truth feels like now." - Jenny Fares

Move the heavy. Swarm the light.‍

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

OPEN STUDIO: MAKE TRUTH FLIES

‍Wednesdays, 4:30-6:30 PM (through March 4)
The Wedge Studios, 129 Robert St. #3A | Free

Join artist Jenny Fares for weekly open studio sessions where you'll learn to create hand-crafted paper fishing flies carrying personal truths. Make your own fly to take home and help build the larger installation launching February 19. Each delicate insect is tied from hand-painted paper with messages etched in foil, then mounted on paperclip hooks. No art experience necessary—all materials provided. Drop in anytime during studio hours. The question we're exploring: What do you know to be true?

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MAKE TRUTH FLIES - Saturday, February 28, 5-7 PM

‍DSSOLVR, 63 N. Lexington Ave. LINK
Free RSVP
Co-hosted with The LOBBY

"Insects We Trust" is a community art project inviting participants to exchange anonymous truths through hand-tied paper flies. Join us at DSSOLVR for a guided workshop where you'll learn the meditative craft of fly-tying while contributing to an art installation displayed at UpMarket Gallery. The paper flies will hang artfully on a vintage flower cart—visitors can take a fly or leave one, creating an ongoing exchange of vulnerable honesty. This workshop is designed for a moment when trust feels dangerous, offering permission to tell the truth without defending it. PRIZES and drink keys! All materials provided. Move the heavy. Swarm the light.

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TRUST FLIES HERE PARTY - Saturday, March 7, 5-7 PM‍

‍UpMarket Gallery, 70 N. Market St.
Tickets $15-$25 (sliding scale) LINK

‍Co-hosted with Go Local Asheville // Snacks Sponsored by Asheville Fly Fishing

Bug out with Go Local Asheville at this celebratory fly-tying happy hour! Artist Jenny Fares guides participants through creating paper fishing flies that carry personal truths etched in foil. Tie a fly for yourself and leave one for someone else to find. Visit the full "Insects We Trust" installation in the gallery, add your lure, tell your truth—then head out to support locally-owned businesses. Free snacks and cash bar. Space is limited, so reserve your tickets in advance. No one turned away for lack of funds—tickets cover space rental and event expenses. This is mutual aid disguised as whimsy: permission to share tenderness with strangers in times of heaviness.

VISIT THE INSTALLATION:
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INSECTS WE TRUST

‍February 19 - March 7: UpMarket Gallery, 70 N. Market St.
‍March 8-31: Wedge Studios 2nd Floor Gallery

‍Free and open to the public during regular business hours

Experience "Insects We Trust," a participatory art installation where hand-crafted paper fishing flies carry anonymous truths. Each delicate insect—tied from hand-painted paper with messages etched in foil—dangles from a vintage flower cart. Take a fly. Leave a fly. The exchange is simple: What do you know to be true? Inspired by Mardi Gras gift-giving traditions, this project creates space for vulnerable honesty in a moment when trust feels dangerous. "Fishermen tie flies with patience, hoping something will bite," explains artist Jenny Fares. "That's what telling the truth feels like now." Supported by a Locals 2 Locals grant from Thrive Asheville. No purchases, no transactions—just the exchange of truths, small and persistent as insects. insectswetrust.com

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