by Julie Dodd
Plein Air in the Smokies will bring together 20 invited artists, from 15 different states, to paint in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sept. 25 to Oct. 1, 2022.
This is the fourth of a series of posts to introduce the invited artists.
Dan Mondloch
St. Cloud, Minnesota
danmondloch.com
Why are you excited about participating in Plein Air in the Smokies?
Supporting the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the driving force that is motivating event organizers, and their enthusiasm creates a welcoming opportunity to paint in a new place and meet excited new collectors.
What do you enjoy about plein air painting?
Being immersed in an environment and painting directly from life is an invigorating experience that I find incredibly inspiring!
What is something that those who view your art would be interested in knowing about you
I’m a father of two boys, Jack (6) and Drew (3), and a daughter Emma (1). I’m a third generation painter, following in the footsteps of my dad and great grandpa.
Kathie Odom
Walland, Tennessee
KathieOdom.com
Why are you excited about participating in Plein Air in the Smokies?
I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of a national plein air event right here in what feels like my own backyard! My husband and I have raised our kids camping in Smokies, and I paint there as often as I can!
What is something that those who view your art would be interested in knowing about you?
In my painting I LOVE to find the intersection between nature and man-made places… where families have moved in and made their place in the midst of the natural beauty that was already there. When that happens, home is created.
Nancy Tankersley
Easton, Maryland
nancytankersley.com
Why are you excited about participating in Plein Air in the Smokies?
I’m excited about having the opportunity and honor to paint in one of our nation’s most beautiful parks and to try subject matter that I don’t often get to see in my very flat part of the world.
What is something that those who view your art would be interested in knowing about you?
I’m from a military family, both in my childhood and in my marriage, so I have had the opportunity to live in many parts of the country.
When we were moving frequently, I was always sad to leave our current home but excited to see what lay ahead. Being part of the plein air movement affords me the same opportunity.
George Van Hook
Cambridge, New York
georgevanhookfineartist.com
Why are you excited about participating in Plein Air in the Smokies?
I am really looking forward to coming down to the Great Smoky Mountains Plein Air event. I recently have spent some time in that region, and I was absolutely amazed by the beauty of the landscape.
It will be a joy to paint there in the early Autumn and to share that experience with such a talented group of artists.
Dawn Whitelaw
Franklin, Tennessee
dawnwhitelaw.com
Why are you excited about participating in Plein Air in the Smokies?
I love to paint plein air! The event gives me a dedicated time away from other responsibilities at home and in the studio to be immersed in plein air work. Painting from life is the best painting experience and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers a feast of so many diverse subjects.
On a personal note, I was born in Asheville, North Carolina, and feel so connected to the mountains of this region. This vast area of protected land becomes more of a treasure every year as our wilderness is vanishing.
The collective work of all the artists in the event will be a record of this park for a very specific moment in time. I hope that people attending the exhibition will have a sense of how unique this collection of paintings will be historically.
What is something that those who view your art would be interested in knowing about you?
I started painting seriously in my late thirties and only ventured out to paint Plein Air because I was told it would help my portrait painting. Who knew I would fall in love with plein air painting with all its inconveniences and frustrations. I am a product of the “workshop” system of instruction. I have no formal degree other than a liberal arts BA. My education is on-going as I still take workshops to study and draw inspiration and knowledge from my friends who paint and from the students I teach. I am always more interested in painting how a place made me feel rather than what a place looked like.
Schedule of activities
You can watch the artists paint in Elkmont, Monday through Wednesday, in Cades Cove on Thursday, and in various locations in the park on Friday.
The 20 artists will participate in a Quick Draw Art Festival in Maryville on Saturday, Oct. 1. They will be joined by artists who register to participate in the Quick Draw, which will be held in the Maryville Greenway and the downtown. Their paintings will be judged, with cash awards presented.
The artwork created by the invited artists during their week of painting in the park will be on sale at a ticketed Reception Gala and Private Art Sale at the Clayton Center for the Arts on Oct. 1. A public sale of their work will be held the next day. All funds raised from Plein Air in the Smokies will support projects in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
You can download a schedule of Plein Air in the Smokies activities.
The first post in the series introduced plein air artists Suzie Baker, Greg Barnes, Carl Bretzke, Brienne Brown and Krystal Brown.
The second post introduced artists Roger Dale Brown, Jim Carson, Bill Farnsworth, Trey Finney and Beverly Ford Evans.
The third post introduced Jake Gaedtke, John Guernsey, Neal Hughes, Charlie Hunter and Christine Lashley.