Small wooden piece of public art tucked into some untamed weeds and bushes next to a gas station in…read moresmall town Castlewood Virginia. My buddy and I was on a small road trip and we both always enjoy finding public art and adding and reviewing to Yelp so we noticed this and stopped. Overall solid and cool little piece. Be nice if they took care of the shrubbery around it so it is more visible.

Welcome Home to the Pound is a massive and well down expressway mural located in Pound Virginia…read more My buddy and I was on a few day road trip when we passed this massive mural and had to stop to take it in. I may have let my adventurous side take over too much as I climbed up the side for a photo op. Overall a very cool mural and a fun memory for our small road trip through the area.

My buddy and I stopped in here and took some photos. It's on the side of the expressway. We had to…read morepull over and get in the grass and go take some photos and get creative.

Have you ever experienced that kinda eerie, but very delightful feeling that comes of unexpectedly…read morefinding a something relevant to your personal special interests in a seemingly unlikely place? The first time I caught sight of this fountain, located in the plaza between the Barter Theatre and Barter Stage II, I thought: cool--it's a hulking, partying depiction of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream in fountain form. Moving in for a closer look, I began to get that feeling like something was off about the sculpture, but in a good way. The figures depicted, the way their forms are rendered, seemed uncannily familiar. Then I got the memo: "designed and sculpted by Charles Vess and David Spence". I'm not sure who David Spence is [hastily googles his name, confims he's a sculptor], but if you're into Fantasy and comics/graphic novels the name Charles Vess might ring a bell. He is an artist famous for illustrating many works, perhaps most notably Neil Gaiman's Stardust a few issues of The Sandman, Sandman #19 ("A Midsummer Night's Dream") being particularly relevant to my revelation. Standing up close to this giant fountain was almost like finding myself within a footstep's distance of Vess' illustrations and Morpheus' world of Dreams. In a word, this monolithic piece of art, done up in bronze and water like a vision of high Summer for all seasons, is, as I've already stated, cool. Very cool. Do be sure to take a moment to let the enchantment set in whether you're in between acts or just waltzing by.

The "Where the Mountains Begin" mural in downtown Wilkesboro was completed in 2015 by artist Wes…read moreGregory and local students. It celebrates Wilkes County's heritage, featuring Stone Mountain, W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, and a portrait of folk legend Doc Watson, the legendary blind guitarist and folk musician who helped launch MerleFest at Wilkes Community College. The mural's title reflects Wilkesboro's role as a gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains. The mural is part of the Appalachian Mural Trail and remains a vibrant civic landmark. It honors local pride, artistic collaboration, and the region's musical and natural legacy - all in one striking visual narrative. It was the final major work of Wes Gregory who passed that year.

Red's cafe mural is a downtown Sevierville, Tennessee mural on the side of some commercial…read morebusinesses down the street from the court house and the famed Dolly Parton statue. I'm not sure the history of Red's cafe or even if it was a legit cafe. The mural paints a picture of a 50's/60's sofa fountain car hopper type establishment that you know probably serves burgers and coke floats. Overall the artist from the Smokey mountain mural company does a nice job. Gatlinburg and the surrounding cities like Sevierville have this nostalgic all American feel to them so this mural goes hand in hand with that vibe.

There a no shortage of love for Dolly Parton in Sevierville. They even have erected a bronze statue…read moreof Dolly on the Courthouse lawn. And with good reason. Dolly has invested a lot of money in Sevier County with several theme parks. Dolly was born not too far from Sevierville, in Pittman Center. I'm a big Dolly fan and have listened to her music for decades. I love the reading programs for kids that she has championed throughout the country. The bronze statue by Gatlinburg artist, Jim Gray, depicts a young Dolly holding her guitar with her big smile and curly hair sitting on a rock. The statue was dedicated in 1989. Dolly looks casual and approachable. There is limited free parking around the Courthouse.

You can't visit downtown Sevierville without stopping at the Dolly Parton Statue for a photo…read more Parking was easy on a weekday, right out front. Walk across the street and visit Dr. Massey's Bird Dog memorial for a sweet story and a quick stop in to the Salon/Souvenir shop where the sweet owner has pictures with Dolly, stickers and tee shirts. She also has a hair salon in the back decorated with Dolly wallpaper!

This place was closed due to COVID the last time we were in town but we were pleasantly surprised…read morethat they were open on July 4 when we were walking around downtown. This is a cute little museum that has rotating art displays on the bottom floor and a smaller history museum upstairs. We saw a whimsical display of chickens, and another from a collection of art from a school in California. When we were there the upstairs had an exhibit about the annual horse show in town. The museum is free to visit but we gladly left a donation.

Stopped in on a rainy day and enjoyed the museum. Each room was beautifully curated with a…read moredifferent theme. We also stopped into the cottage and met a local artist making baskets. She is part of the local quilting guild. She was extremely friendly and informative. I really enjoyed the variety of quilts and the work that went into each. I noticed others commenting about price and we were not charged on a Wednesday. Friendly staff, small gift shop but that did not stop us from shopping. (Smile). Good visit especially on a rainy day!

I went for the Year in Wise program and had a great time! Lots of opportunities for such a small…read moreschool.

I got banned and so did two of my friends But don't worry…read moreyou might not get banned T.

I am beyond a true crime enthusiast. I pretty much only read and watch true crime oriented media…read more This was my second trip to the museum. I was worried that there wouldn't be any new exhibits but I was surprised and happy to find the opposite to be true. They have definitely expanded and updated since my last visit. If you enjoy true crime and/or history this is a great spot to visit. On the crime side of things they have a wide range of crimes-not just serial killers or murder. (They do have a Ted Bundy VW beetle and 2 John Wayne Gacy clown costumes on display). They also have areas for financial crimes, etc. History wise they start off in medieval era, then the Wild West, mafia to present day. Nice exhibit on 911. Interactive exhibits too, like DUI and autopsy. Well worth the price of admission to me. Easily a couple hours of stuff to do. Especially nice on a rainy day!

If you have itty bitties, think before going!!…read more This is a great museum with lots of exhibits with detailed insight at them all. So there is LOTS of reading. So this becomes a 1.5-2 hour engagement. It can be dark in areas, so if you're the owner of old eyes. Break out the iPhone flashlight. The rooms are designed to be progressive thru the years (the Middle Ages were messed up!!!). So the pacing is well thought. We went in the off season and it wasn't crowded. I could see during the season, it could be a challenge. Lots of middle aged women that listen to "those podcasts". So husbands be wary when wives start nodding at one another. A great place to go on a "weather" day. As a side note, the staff made a point of stating that all but four display items were authentic and not recreations.