There is an absolute regiment of honorable companions that, over the years, have bore witness to the “Yippin’” of Lil’ Smokies — yes, the cocktail wiener. Many a comrade have seen them dance in a hot skillet as we await them to fill our bellies; and inescapably our souls. Since I was a boy I have associated these mini oscar meyers with the ancient landscape at which I will arrive in seven days.

I began with the truth that I am someone who, since early high school, have consistently needed to immerse in the outdoor, explore someplace new, or engage in solitude (mega bonus double jeopardy supreme if it hits all three). As a semi-realized adult person my gears started to turn on a possible way for me to incorporate these more into my life without it feeling like just a trip or a break (alls fair in trips and breaks but most of the time I get greedy for even more time). Enter the artist residency, a global offering in every iteration you could imagine, with two basic truths:

1) A dedicated time to practice your medium

2) Some kind of opportunity in favor of the artist (financial, location, involvement, exposure, room & board, etc.)

A return to the archaic barter system in which the currency is art, beauty, and needs of the practical.

Late last year I set off to linguistically distill myself down into a digestible creator while still being honest to my many modes of expression. What resulted was a pitch deck I am still proud of while also representing how I interact with place as an artist — a multi-capture of feeling.

I launched my applications into the universe only to hear back from of course the one I have known all my life: The Great Smoky Mountains.

2026 ARTIST IN RESIDENCY — Great Smoky Mountains National Park

I am humbled to announce I have been accepted into the 2026 Artist in Residence Program of The National Parks Service for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

I was accepted as a multimedia artist with focus in: musical score/composition, 35mm photography, writing, and field printmaking. This is an ultimate combination of craft and subject that define the deepest parts of me.

My modus operandi is as follows: Artistic Journalist — one who captures the undeniable feel of place using my mediums at hand: music, photo, language, and print.

The Great Smoky Mountains have been my muse, battlefield, and backdrop since I can remember being alive. It has been the great work of my adult life to realize that truth and therefore let it seep into my voice as an artist today. I have been given the gift of the entire month of November to spend with my old friend.

I’ll have a few open to the public offerings during my time, but for the most part will be vanished into mist.

While I’m there for the month food is entirely up to me. I’ve established a lifeline link here for any sweetie pie that may like to contribute by buying me a sandwich.

EARLY PROGRAM UPDATES

I have a few theses that will serve as main guidelines for the work, especially in the relation of the different forms, which are as follows:

_music/composition

_35mm photography

_writing

_field printing

For the field printing portion I will be utilizing an old japanese technique called Gyotaku, which was established by fisherman in order to keep their fishing stories honest amongst themselves — I think it’s absolutely hilarious. The prints themselves yield beautiful fine line “actual size” texture prints of fish on various papers/fabrics. The displays for me evoke similarities between science museum species documentation and mythological fantasy sketch.

My inspiration for the physical display of these pieces are Tibetan prayer flags: strands of multicolored raw edged fabrics bearing prints to be hung in outposts, tea houses, gear shops, along trails, and at peaks. I have a strict system for the final display of my own version of these flags — to be fully regional in color and material from the bottom up. Without going too much into it, much of my artist point for this entire project is to uphold the truth in “capital ‘F’ Folk” that it is a peoples culture: stories, years, and generations stacking on top of each other in order to inform the next set of hands. It is a beyond moving truth.

The Gyotaku technique coming out of Japan set my ideal marriage of history, color palette, and craft to be indigo — an heirloom with seeds in Japan as well as Appalachia. Indigo boomed in the south as a prominent cash crop during the mid-1700s under a woman’s leadership by the name of Eliza Lucas Pinckney. She accomplished her success on the backs of enslaved africans in: 1) the forced labor of growing the crop 2) the utilization of their knowledge brought with them from West Africa.

100-200 years later it is the women of Appalachia (and the south) who are required to be self-reliant in clothing their families by repairing garments, spinning their own thread, and trading dye amongst each other. Natural Indigo dye is a fascinating process practiced by so many. Knowing the practice runs vigorously back through lineages of women’s hands I wanted to reach out specifically to a woman within the region practicing this craft in the present day. So much of this area carries a wicked balance of honor and reckoning in order to preserve things like Indigo that are naturally beautiful. I have hearty respect for anyone who finds themselves amidst that wicked balance.

I’m honored to say Sayde Laine out of Saxapahaw, NC has signed on as the indigo dyer. Attached below are process pics she sent me this week of the flags that will occupy the blue section of my color palette.

Unbridled thanks to:

@greatsmokynps , @nationalparkservice

I can’t believe I get to do this. I’ll see you up there.

Onwards,
Chap
xoxoxo