Arrowmont: Days 1&2

I left for Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Gatlinburg Tennessee on Friday. My flight left at about 11pm and arrived in Charlotte, North Carolina the next morning (Saturday) at about 6am. I had about an hour and a half layover and then got to ride in a tiny little plane with about 5 other people to Knoxville, Tennessee. It had propellers! I have never been in a plane that small! We had to walk out on the runway to board. It was fun. Here is a pic...

The flight lasted about an hour and then from Knoxville I took a shuttle to Gatlinburg which took about an hour. I haven't slept yet!

When I got to Arrowmont and felt like I was the only person here! I think most people arrive tomorrow. So, I decided to go explore a little. I walked down to the little town, which was very strange. It is very touristy. It has a state fair carnival feel. There are shops everywhere with cheap jewelry, knock off purses, and airbrushed T-shirts. There are also all kinds of weird museums, game houses, rides and attractions. There was a Ripleys Believe it or Not museum, and a Guiness Book of World Records Museum. Mostly there was just way more people than I had expected.

They did have a Bubba Gump Shrimp place that I secretly wanted to try. I think it would have been funny. And yummy.There is also an aquarium, which I may get sucked into seeing. I am so weak when it comes to aquariums...they just mesmerize me! I never get enough...This was BY FAR the funniest thing I saw. It is a Hollywood Wax Museum with a huge King Kong holding a lifesize woman in his hand. Can you hear the twilight zone music? Its just weird to have this many stramge tourist traps in one small town!So after amusing myself, and sweating about 3 gallons in the 200% humidity, I decided to go back and walk around the Arrowmont Campus a bit. This is the main office. It has a book and supply store, a gallery, and a really cool library.This is an image of the Faculty Summer Show in the gallery. I love the stained glass windows.This is the hall that I am staying in.

The staff house...

The Famous Red Barn, which is another residence hall.And I think this is where the studios are. But what made me really happy to see was the small sculpture on the side of the building. Do you see it?It was made by Dave Pimentel, who was the Metals Instructor at ASU for many years before he passed away in 2003. Seeing his work makes it seem like he will always be here.These are some found object totem poles that I should have gotten better pics of. Maybe tomorrow.And this is the deck where I am blogging at this very moment. Ok, when I took the picture it was light outside. Blogging takes me forever. But, now its dark and I just saw the first firefly I have ever seen in my whole life. I can check that off my list of things to do before I die now. Haha. Seriously though, fireflies are pretty amazing, and mesmerizingly beautiful...

Now, Im off to bed since I have not slept in 24 hours. More of Arrowmont soon to come...