Twenty nationally acclaimed artists will spend a full week painting their way through Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding region starting Saturday, as Plein Air Smokies returns for another round of live painting, public demonstrations and a juried art sale that raised more than $130,000 last year alone. The weeklong celebration of art, landscape and outdoor painting runs September 19 through 26, with events split between Townsend and Knoxville.
The festival is hosted by the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, which took over leadership of the event in 2025 after Friends of the Smokies originally created it in 2022 to raise funds for park conservation projects, according to Friends of the Smokies. Proceeds now support Tremont Institute's hands-on outdoor education programs, including scholarships that the organization says allow more people to connect deeply with nature, per The Daily Times. Catey McClary, president and CEO of Tremont Institute, said plein air painting encourages people to slow down, pay close attention and respond to the world in front of them, the newspaper's report notes.
Two Decades of Painters Fan Out Across the Smokies
This year's featured lineup includes Meisha Grichuhin, John Guernsey, Fred Jackson, Russell Jewell and Tim Kelly, alongside Natalia Andreeva, Suzie Baker, Jill Basham, Donna Biggee and Carla Bosch. Rounding out the roster are Susan Lynn, Chuck Marshall, Kathie Odom, James Sampsel, Jeff Steiner, Lon Brauer, Brienne Brown, Henry Coe, Lisa Engle and Kari Ganoung Ruiz, according to the same account. John Guernsey previously painted during last year's Townsend paintout, while Chuck Marshall participated in a past demonstration day in Townsend.
The festival is presented by Toyota Knoxville and Lexus of Knoxville, with support from Anakeesta, the outlet reports. The public will have several chances to watch featured artists work in real time, enter the open Quick Draw competition, and purchase original works painted on-site throughout the week.
Townsend Paintout Kicks Off the Week
The Hey Townsend Paintout runs from 1 to 5 p.m. next Monday at the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center in Townsend, where all 20 featured artists will paint among the site's historic Appalachian buildings, barns and workshops. The event has free public areas alongside paid museum-ground admission, according to the newspaper's account.
On Tuesday, September 22, the day after the Hey Townsend Paintout, Plein Air Painting Demonstrations in the Smokies takes over the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont's Townsend campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., split into morning and afternoon sessions. That event is free and open to the public without registration.
Gallery Sale and Quick Draw Cap the Week in Knoxville
The week shifts to Knoxville next Friday for the Collectors Celebration & Gallery Sale at The District Gallery & Framery, running 5:30 to 8 p.m. and offering the first public viewing and purchase of original works created during the week. The free event includes a 7:30 p.m. awards presentation, and any remaining work stays on view through 4 p.m. the following Saturday.
The festival closes the next morning with the Quick Draw competition at Sequoyah Hills Park in Knoxville, running from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check-in runs from 7 to 9 a.m., painting ends at 11 a.m., and judging leads into prizes and public sales starting at 11:30 a.m. The open division is open to artists age 14 and older, from beginners to seasoned painters, and requires advance registration by 11:59 p.m. this coming Wednesday. The first-place winner takes home $500 and an invitation to return as a featured artist in 2027. Lisa Engel won last year's Quick Draw, and artist Erin Rosolina also competed in that edition.
Later that same day, plein air judge Lori Putnam will lead a free talk titled Behind the Awards, running 1:15 to 2:30 p.m. at The District Gallery & Framery, where she'll discuss the award-winning paintings and the choices behind her selections.
A Growing Financial Engine for Park-Area Conservation
Last year's event demonstrated just how lucrative the festival has become for both artists and Tremont Institute alike. During the 2025 edition, 19 featured artists generated more than $130,000 in original art sales while keeping a 55% take-home commission on sold works, according to OnlineJuriedShows.com. This year's festival also includes a juried competition.
The event's growth comes as Tremont Institute pursues a major expansion of its own. In August, the organization received a $2.5 million gift from philanthropist Amy Buckner Chowdhry, including $2 million earmarked for construction of a new second campus in Townsend, according to WBIR. The gift also set aside $500,000 to cover program costs for local Blount County students, per the same report.
Tremont Institute has deep roots in the region, having opened in 1969 as the Tremont Environmental Education Center under Maryville College and the National Park Service before becoming an independent nonprofit in 2001, according to the organization's own account. Tremont Institute has also offered an adult workshop series called Seasons of Connection.
Why the Setting Matters
The festival's backdrop is no small draw. Great Smoky Mountains National Park provides a scenic setting for the festival.
Organizers post festival updates on social media at @smokiespleinair on Facebook and Instagram, and a complete schedule, featured artist profiles and registration details are available at pleinairsmokies.org.
