Ben Duerr

Ben Duerr grew up with his twin brother in Rochester, New York; they spent hours playing and fishing in the Genesee River and in the many ponds and lakes of upstate New York. As he grew older, he fell in love with ski racing, soccer, and downhill skateboarding. Ben graduated from Allegheny College, Meadville, PA, in May 2021 with an environmental science and sustainability major and studio art minor. In addition to environmental fieldwork, he worked intensely on various independent ceramic studies. The combination of environmental studies and studio art provided a positive and welcoming experience that allowed him to complete school during the global pandemic.

Ben has extensive experience working with children in the outdoors. He spent three summers in Colorado as an instructor for Avid4 Adventure. The goal of the camp is to connect young people to their local environment through fun recreational activities. Thus, he actively engaged children in mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, canoeing, and kayaking while teaching Leave No Trace principles.

Ben appreciates the many facets of Asheville: the mountains, the waterways, and not least, the art scene.