Art from Nature

Nature is a part of everything we do at Blackberry Mountain. The natural rhythm of the day and the season inspires the activities, menus and wellness rituals we share with guest. Nature is our greatest source of inspiration and nowhere is that more tangible than inside the Art Studio.

When the art program was created at the Mountain, so many of the creative options were built around utilizing items that could be safely and sustainably harvested right from the land. That immediate connection between materials and creativity has continued to evolve as the Hub team and guests mix mediums and explore new ideas for incorporating nature in the studio.

“There’s a nature-based commitment to all creative pursuits here,” says Blackberry Mountain Art Manager Polly Ann Martin. “We’re celebrating the Mountain in everything we do here.”

Using the resources around the Mountain began with harvesting river stones for painting and kudzu vine for basketmaking. There’s no shortage of kudzu growing in East Tennessee, and the vine was a great pliable option for practicing the weaving of basketmaking, yielding beautifully textured and hearty baskets.

The smooth surface of the river stones makes them an ideal canvas for painting. The Hub Art team was inspired by the technique of mandala painting to use the stones as the canvas for mandala shapes and pointillism painting.

Another unique canvas available at the Mountain are slate shingles. Leftover from building materials, rather than let the slate be wasted, the Art team collected the shingles to paint. The surface is naturally smooth, with a beautiful roughed texture around the edges. It’s a flat surface easy to work on, but offers a more unexpected background than your typical canvas.

They’ve even utilized rocks to create one-of-a-kind bookends! Adding one natural material into your art can have such a beautiful impact on your piece, and you never know where the inspiration might lead you. In tile making, guests have the opportunity to stamp wildflowers, leaves or grasses into their tile to create a completely unique stamp.

The team’s latest nature-fueled pursuit is embroidering on leaves. Just outside the Hub, rhododendron trees frame the tree line. Inspired to stretch their mediums, the team picked rhododendron leaves and sewed over them. The leaves work well because they are thick, ideal for withstanding the needle without splitting, and pliable when you pick them fresh. The result is lovely and unexpected, a beautiful tribute to what nature can inspire in art.