Displaying items by tag: clingmans dome
Seeking the musical saw-whet, drawn to Smokies by space and time
Though seldom seen, the toot-toot tunes of the northern saw-whet owl are signs of late spring in the high peaks of Southern Appalachia. Rob Hunter/Hellbender Press
Though not on any formal breeding list, nocturnal nomads bring spring tunes to high Smokies
GATLINBURG — It’s a May evening and I’m standing at a pull-off on Clingmans Dome Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My breathing is light as I close my eyes and listen intently for a singular sound on the crisp night air. I hold absolutely still to keep my heavy coat from rustling. The coat is necessary on nights at this elevation, even as Memorial Day approaches.
This is not my first stop along the road tonight and my patience is beginning to wane. Just as I decide to turn back toward the car, the sound I’m seeking reaches my ears.
Toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-…
Saw-whet owls are not officially listed as Smokies breeders, but a wealth of anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise. Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
Friends of the Smokies recognizes national, regional and student artists with ‘Plein Air Smokies’ awards
Fulton High School students with finished paintings at Plein Air Smokies event. Lauren Gass, Friends of the Smokies
More than 60 artists created one-of-a-kind paintings generating more than $319,000 to support Great Smoky Mountains National Park
MARYVILLE — Friends of the Smokies recently welcomed 80 artists to Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the 2nd Annual ‘Plein Air Smokies,’ an event that not only raises critical funds for the park, but also allows visitors to experience the on-site creation of park-inspired art. The event raised $319,000 in total revenue, including more than $167,000 in artwork sales.
“We are so grateful for this generation of talented artists who captured unique Smokies scenes that tell the story of the park today in much the same way as those early painters and photographers whose images inspired the creation of the park,” said Friends President Dana Soehn.
Twenty nationally acclaimed artists were selected from a juried pool of 100 artists. They spent the week creating 158 one-of-a-kind paintings in places like Cades Cove, Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap Road and Elkmont. Artwork was judged by renowned Plein Air artist, Mark Hanson, who awarded the following six artists with special recognition: Best of Show, Charles Newman; Artists’ Choice/Body of Work, Kathie Odom; Best Use of Light, Marc Anderson; Best Water, Christine Lashley; Best Structure, Lindsay Richard Sneary; and Best Landscape, Richie Vios.