Douglas Ellington is known as the architect who changed Asheville into an Art Deco showplace during the late-1920s. In five years, from 1925 to 1930, he transformed the landscape of downtown Asheville.

Short for the French, Arts décoratifs (decorative arts), Art Deco design turned modernism into fashion. The intention, be it in individual items, mass-produced wares, or architecture, was to create a sleek elegance, symbolizing wealth and sophistication. Art Deco shows an admiration for modernity and the design qualities of machine-made objects. The key characteristics of Art Deco are simplicity, planarity, symmetry, and repetition of elements.

 This traveling exhibit, from the Asheville Museum of History, examines the life of Douglas Ellington, as well as his work in Asheville and elsewhere.  It will run till January 2025.