Photographer & documentarian Jenny Bowen captured over 100 portraits of people who considered themsevles 'Ashevilleans' in July 2007 when her studio was robbed & vandalized. With a great deal of community heart-felt support, Bowen started over and between Jan-April 2008 during an open-call almost 350 individuals had their portraits taken capturing every cultural aspect of Asheville.

From conversations with participants, Bowen gathered information & insight into Asheville's many issues, challenges, & opportunities. These topics developed distinct yet overlapping spheres that make up Asheville's meta-culture. The findings were presented to the community in Feb 2009 at a fundraiser benefit for the project. Bowen then held several months of intimate conversations based on citizen issues. These were called the ABC Series (Assemble, Build, and Connect Community).

The opening exhibit for Faces of Asheville was at the Satellite Gallery in June 2009.

Archival museum quality portraits and all primary source research and information are being donated to the University of North Carolina at Asheville Special Collection Archives.

Readers of the Mountain Xpress voted Jenny Bowen Best Local Artist in Asheville for 2009 in response to the Faces of Asheville project.

Special thanks to project assistants David Segretto, Spyce, and Drew Meyer, as well as the 501(c)(3) sponsor Arts2People.