Step up to the easel or watch painting in action! Beginning at 7am, artists of all experience levels will spread out across Sequoyah Hills Park, spending the morning painting their scene of choice. At 11:30am, judging, prizes, and the art sale will begin. First place wins $500 and an invitation to join Plein Air Smokies 2027 as a Featured Artist. Register through September 23 to compete at pleinairsmokies.com. Spectating is free & open to the public.

About Plein Air Smokies
Twenty nationally acclaimed artists will set up their easels across Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding region on Sept. 19–26 for Plein Air Smokies, a weeklong celebration of art, landscape, and the practice of painting outdoors.

Plein Air Smokies is hosted by Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, a nonprofit outdoor school located inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Proceeds support Tremont’s hands-on outdoor education programs through scholarships, allowing more people to connect deeply with nature.

Plein Air Smokies is presented by Toyota Knoxville and Lexus of Knoxville, with additional support from Anakeesta. A complete schedule, featured artist profiles, event registration, and updates are available at pleinairsmokies.org.