Asheville sits in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was once part of the Cherokee nation, a native American Indian group of people who had a written language and a system of justice and law. Settlers arrived from Europe and moved Westward from the coast ever deeper into the continent.
The Cherokee's were displaced to the West if they were not killed to make way for the ever growing population of Colonials. There is a story called, "The Trail of Tears" that documents the mass forced evacuation of these native peoples.
The pictures here are of tobacco barns that are used for drying and storage. Cherokee people grew tobacco, as well, as the early settlers that were coming form England and Scotland. They found the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains similar to environment they were leaving.
The sepia tones and pattern of the drying tobacco is so beautiful to me. The lines and colors of the worn barn and evidence of an earlier time. People living in nature and close to the land.
For an artist, whether realist or not, there is so much visual variety in this area for the impetus to do art. I will post a link in the websites of interest about the Cherokee People for your interest. There crafts are remarkable as well.
I am part Cherokee. I enjoyed finding out that part of my heritage when my Mother and Aunt were doing genealogy.
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