by Jim Matheny
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A group of acclaimed artists from across the country painted the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains from Sept. 21-28, 2024, and sold the artwork to benefit the national park. The weeklong Plein Air Smokies event concluded with an art sale and Quick Draw competition in Knoxville that netted more than $45,000 for Friends of the Smokies.
This was the third year of Plein Air Smokies. Since its inception, the event has netted a total of more than $205,000 to benefit vital projects in the national park through the sale of art and generous support from sponsors.
Friends of the Smokies would like to express our deep gratitude for the work of our Plein Air Smokies featured artists during a challenging week that began with scorching heat and concluded with devastating rainfall from tropical storm Helene. Throughout the extreme conditions, the artists continued creating fantastic artwork and offered spectators an opportunity to see art in action.
The week began with artists housed at Steiner Bell Lodge in Sevier County. Many of the artists praised the accommodations and commented on the sense of comradery created by having all the artists in the same location. They noted this is a different experience than many Plein Air events where artists are often scattered around town with host families.
“All the artists stay together. We all go back to the lodge and see how everyone’s day went,” said artist Charles Newman.
“It is kind of like taking a workshop with the best painters in the country,” said artist Richard Sneary. “It’s a great time with some great people. And we get to paint one of the great national parks in the country. So, that’s a little hard to beat.”
Sept. 23, 2024.
All the artists spent Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, capturing the scenes of their choice at Cades Cove. The conditions were unseasonably warm for late September with the heat index reaching the upper 90s. Artists found relief from the sun by choosing shady locations or the use of umbrellas.
The artwork continued Tuesday and Wednesday with artists assigned at least one shift painting in the Elkmont Historic District. Occasional thunderstorms on Tuesday grew into a full-fledged deluge Wednesday, but the artists persevered with help from covered porches on the historic cottages.
As downpours continued for multiple days, the threat of flooding and downed trees grew in areas surrounding the national park. Friends of the Smokies relocated the artists from Steiner Bell Lodge to a hotel in Downtown Knoxville before the final events of the week.
Plein Air Smokies held its Collectors Soiree on Friday night, Sept. 27, at Regas Square Events. Attendees at the ticketed event were given the first opportunity to purchase the art created throughout the week. A great time was had by all, including the artists as wall-sized video screens played a loop of footage of them creating the artwork throughout the week.
The Collectors Soiree is also where the featured artists submitted two paintings each for judging in six categories. Judge Kathy Anderson chose the winning paintings in five categories: Best Water, Best Structure, Best Use of Light, Best Landscape, and Best of Show. The Artists’ Choice category was voted on by the featured artists for their favorite overall body of work by their colleagues. Below are the winners of each category along with Anderson’s comments for the art she judged.
Plein Air Smokies 2024 Winners
BEST OF SHOW
Sponsored by Lexus of Knoxville/Toyota Knoxville
Winner: Shelby Keefe – Tipton Barn Settler
Judge’s comments: I couldn’t take my eyes off the good use of rainbow colors in the light, the amazing character of the broken wagon, and how firmly planted in the earth it is. And the framing of the whole scene with the dark value “Arch” so skillfully drawn! A masterpiece!
ARTISTS’ CHOICE
Sponsored by Anakeesta
Winner: John Guernsey
BEST LANDSCAPE
Sponsored by Jerry and Nancy Daves
Winner: Henry Coe – Late September
Judge’s comments: This beautiful landscape gave me the feeling of an early autumn day with a storm coming in. Henry’s handling of the grey green landscape against the blue grey mountains give this feeling, and I love the way the fence is drawn loosely but perfectly takes you down the road.
BEST USE OF LIGHT
Sponsored by Visit Knoxville
Winner: Stewart White – Daisy Town Neighbor
Judge’s comments: This painting is so well done in so many categories. The close values and misty feeling in the forest, contrasting with the sparkling lights in the foreground, expertly created leaving whites of the paper and the beautiful story of the figures on the porch. Love this painting!
BEST STRUCTURE
Sponsored by Home Federal Bank
Winner: Kathie Odom – Open Door Policy
Judge’s comments: This was the hardest category, but Kathie has a way of drawing you into a painting with her skilled use of color and light that just can’t be beat. That door – is it painted yellow, or sun shining from within – and a masterful example of where to put detail and where to let your eye do it for you.
BEST WATER
Sponsored by Ole Smoky Moonshine
Winner: Antwan Ramar – What’s in a Name
Judge’s comments: This is why art is so transforming. Truthfully, I’m not sure if this painting is of water or mist on a mountain. But my first vision was looking into the crashing water that is on the river right now, with a hazy mountain behind and barely visible trees on the left.
Quick Draw a hit in Downtown Knoxville
On the final day of Plein Air Smokies 2024, the featured artists took to the streets of Downtown Knoxville with more than 30 other artists who entered the Quick Draw competition.
After spending Saturday morning painting the scenes of their choice in the downtown area, artists quickly framed and displayed their artwork on the stage of Market Square. The artwork was again judged in two divisions: one division for the featured artist and an open division for those who paid $30 to enter the contest.
The artwork was judged at noon by Kathy Anderson. First place in the Featured Artist Division was awarded to Chuck Marshall.
First place in the open division went to Kimberly Kennard of Knoxville. Kennard, a science teacher at Fulton High School, was in disbelief when her painting was deemed the winner of the open division.
“It’s nuts! This is all new for me,” said a smiling Kennard as she held her winning painting of the Sunsphere.
Kennard is not the only Fulton connection to Plein Air Smokies in 2024. The week prior to the main event, art students from Fulton High School as well as Gatlinburg-Pittman High School created their own works of art and received instruction from professional artists on plein air techniques.
“Friends of the Smokies is so good to the kids by setting up this event and providing lunch and gift bags,” said Fulton art teacher Caitlin Seidler. “They just make it extra special for the students, making them feel so pampered. We just appreciate the opportunity to do this. It’s something we definitely wouldn’t be able to do without Friends of the Smokies.”
About Friends of the Smokies:
Since our establishment in 1993, Friends of the Smokies has raised more than $90 million to fund projects and programs that preserve and protect the national park. In 2024, Friends provided more than $3.7 million to fund more than 70 needs in the park. Learn more about the mission of Friends and how to make a tax-deductible gift.