Just across the road from the Elkmont campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park you can explore what is often called the "ghost town" of the Smokies, cabin remnants of a vacation community that was built in the early 1900's.
The cabins, even in their deteriorated condition, offer interest, texture and intrigue for sketching. Juxtaposed against moss covered stones, graceful woodland ferns, wildflowers and falling leaves, this setting was a spectacular place to join friends, Kay and Doris, for a morning of outdoor painting--en plein air. The possibilities for visual exploring were endless.
It is often hard to remove the pressure to "produce" while making art, but this setting made it easy. Among the trees, in the midst of an early autumn coolness and surrounded by so much stimulation for the senses, sketching became a way of enjoying more deeply.
The slide show below offers a glimpse of the cabin community along with its peaceful natural setting and the sense of tranquility we experienced while painting there. I hope it inspires you to venture out and take your paints with you!
Links and resources:
For more posts on this blog about painting in the outdoors, visit
en plein air and
sketching hummingbirds in flight.
Visit
Kay Alexander Watercolors and see Kay's beautiful
en plein air paintings.
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