Seeing turnings from other artisans

[Roger Chandler]

Today and yesterday, my wife & I went to different venues on the Artisans Trail in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. For those who have never visited this area they have a loop road of 8 miles of arts and crafts and this week at the Gatlinburg convention center they had some 60+ artisans represented for a big crafts show.We did not get to the convention center because traffic is absolutely bumper to bumper for miles on end....all the way from I-40 to the other side of Gatlinburg......it took us an hour and 45 minutes to go about 10 miles......6 lanes of traffic and all 6 were bumper to bumper and barely at a crawl!

We did get to make the wood stops on the artisan trails plus a few for my wife's interests. I got to speak with a turner and carver named Otto, and saw numerous turned bowls, lamps, boxes and spindle work like rolling pins.........some first class items. This was educational for me in that I got to see some venues, displays and pricing for certain types and sizes of work.....part of the reason we did this tour.

If you are ever in the Gatlinburg/Pigeon Forge, Tn. area, I would encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity..........I think seeing the way others work is presented does help inform us about possibilities for our own work.Headed back home tomorrow, and that will be great as well!

[charlie knighton]

is traffic that bad all summer weekends????? how do you get to arrowmont to take classes?

[Roger Chandler]

is traffic that bad all summer weekends????? how do you get to arrowmont to take classes?

I wanted to go by the Arrowmont store, but the traffic was so heavy and trying to find a parking place was impossible [almost]. This is evidently prime time.....very few vacancies at all! Maybe when the season winds down it won't be a problem.

[Steve Vaughan]

Sounds like a great trip to plan for the off-season, if there is one down that way. Been a couple times many years ago, it was crowded then too. Would be nice though to see all that other work in one place. I'd guess about the only way to see the stuff at the convention center would be to have a hotel booked in walking distance.

[Bruce Lundgren]

Roger, thanks for the info. I read about the Artisan Trail. Sounds like the Fall is a much better choice. My wife and I are planning a trip up that way in mid/late Sept.
Sounds like there a a fair number of wood stops?

[Roger Chandler]

Roger, thanks for the info. I read about the Artisan Trail. Sounds like the Fall is a much better choice. My wife and I are planning a trip up that way in mid/late Sept. Sounds like there a a fair number of wood stops?

My wife and I were thinking fall would be a better time as well.......after the kids are in school and when there is no big convention in town. I really wish traffic and time had allowed me to go into the Arrowmont Store, but it should be included in plans if you can make it. It is right on the parkway that is the Main Street through town.

[Dan Jechura]

I visited Arrowmont school and I thought I was told the store out by the main road was not affiliated with them anymore. Yes traffic is bad. But the school is kool. Someday I will have to take a class. Dan

[John Keeton]

...Sounds like the Fall is a much better choice. My wife and I are planning a trip up that way in mid/late Sept.

If you think Roger's traffic experience was bad - just try the trip when fall colors are showing!!! If you intend to stay over, you might check NOW for room availability.

The Smoky Mountains is a beautiful destination, particularly for fall color. But, keep in mind that the park averages 9.3 MILLION visitors each year - many of which visit in the fall! Gatlinburg is the primary location for park access.

[Robert Henrickson]

It's obviously changed a bit(!) since I last was there in 1970. Even then Gatlinburg struck me as sort of crowded and touristy. On that same trip, I went through Pigeon Forge -- then a very small sleepy town, with a narrow main street with little activity.

[Roger Chandler]

It's obviously changed a bit(!) since I last was there in 1970. Even then Gatlinburg struck me as sort of crowded and touristy. On that same trip, I went through Pigeon Forge -- then a very small sleepy town, with a narrow main street with little activity.

Not any more!!! Going down the parkway in Pigeon Forge is like what you see on TV when they show the Vegas strip, with all the lighted signs, theaters, amusement rides, outlet malls, etc, etc, etc............Frankly.......I am really glad to be back home! My wife was just talking to her mother and told her it was an expensive parking lot!!! [referring to the traffic being at a crawl for as far as the eye could see!

[Bruce Lundgren]

John,
Forgot about foliage season. Thanks for the reminder. I'm sure you're right.
Mid/late Sept. seems like it would be before then.Does anyone up that way have any local knowledge about that time of year? We're from NH so end of Sept. that far North is usually early for foliage.

[Robert Henrickson]

John,
Forgot about foliage season. Thanks for the reminder. I'm sure you're right.
Mid/late Sept. seems like it would be before then.Does anyone up that way have any local knowledge about that time of year? We're from NH so end of Sept. that far North is usually early for foliage.

My parents' rule of thumb for the mountains of Kentucky was the Columbus Day weekend for peak foliage.