- This event has passed.
Plein Air in the Mountains: Pleasant Gardens
Discover the Vast Beauty of Appalachia
Step into the open outlook of “Pleasant Garden,” a high-elevation spot that offers breathtaking, panoramic views of the surrounding Tennessee and North Carolina mountain ranges, perfect for artists focusing on light, landscapes, and nature.
Site Profile: Pleasant Garden / Unaka Mountain Outlook
This Unaka Mountain vista offers expansive, unobstructed views of nearby mountain peaks stretching to North Carolina’s Mount Mitchell. Named for the pink and white flowers that line the grassy ridge in midsummer, Pleasant Garden offers grounds for artists to capture emerald canopies, open skies, and mountain scapes from a bird’s eye view.
– Elevation: ~4,800 ft
– Weather: Cooler temperatures; windy
– Environment: Grassy, rhododendrons, mountain laurels, forests, mountain views.
– Access: Gravel, steep, winding; a high-clearance vehicle (SUV/truck) is recommended.
– Restrooms: None.
– Cell Service: None / Extremely Limited.
Explore more about our location below on the USDA Forest Service website.
The Experience: A Collective Creative Session
Plein Air in the Mountains meetups are designed for artists who seek the inspiration of the wild without the logistical burden of scouting and permitting. FADE provides the location, the community, and the infrastructure—you provide the vision.
This is a self-directed, open-format session. Whether you are an experienced plein air painter or a beginner looking to practice in a low-pressure environment, you will find a seat among a cohort of like-minded creators. There are no formal lectures; instead, we offer a space where the collective focus of the group enhances the individual creative process.
– A Scouted Vista: Access to a premier site in the Cherokee National Forest, pre-vetted for its light profile, historic significance, and accessibility.
– The FADE Cohort: Create alongside fellow Supporter Members and local artists, fostering connections within the regional creative community.
– Voluntary Reflection: Conclude the session with an optional “works-in-progress” share—a chance to see how others captured the same light and landscape.
Register
Plein Air in the Mountains sessions are powered by our community. Secure your spot early to help us reach our session activation threshold.
- Early Bird (30+ Days Prior): $25
- Advance (7–30 Days Prior): $30
- Standard (Week of Event): $35
%
Pre-registration Goal
Help us bring this event to life!
To ensure a vibrant exchange of ideas, this session requires a minimum of 5 participants to confirm this date.
If this event is cancelled, all pre-registrants will receive their choice of a 100% refund or a full credit toward the next date.
– Goal Met: Once 5 creators register, the session is officially “Live.”
– Goal Not Met: If the threshold is not reached 24 hours before the event, the session will be postponed.
