AMT @ Cradle of Forestry, NC
  
Enjoy your mural trail Experience!   Have a "Transformational Moment" when you take your selfie in front of a historic Mural and share your experience on the Selfie Page.
"The Cradle of Forestry is home to the longest mural in Transylvania County. While the access to the mural is currently restricted due to covid-19 and a new roof being installed, the site is a wonderful place to enjoy paved trails, and learn the story of the birthplace of sustainable forestry in the U.S.. The Cradle of Forestry reopens in early April for the 2021 season."

Cradle of Forestry Discovery Mural
Pisgah Forest, NC

(Seasonal Closing 2nd Sunday in Nov.)
Exit BR Parkway MilePost: 412

  Mural Artist: Barry Nehr(1934-2015)
Mural Update 2016: Ian Wilkinson
Trail Member/Sponsor: Cradle of Forestry in America




Mural Description

     The original Cradle Forestry mural was painted in 1997 by Barry Nehr while the exhibits were being installed. Ian Wilkinson was able to match up Barry Nehr's style and added to the Forestry mural in 2016.

     According to Barry, "Background murals usually include much of the flora and fauna appropriate to the ecosystem being exhibited. These paintings usually draw you in and capture your imagination, helping to transport you into the story that is being told."

Muralist Barry Nehr showing off
a new mural in 2012

Artist Bio: Barry Nehr

     Throughout his lifetime, artist Barry Nehr brought into our own field of vision the aweinspiring beauty that he saw and appreciated about forests. Barrion Duane Nehr was born and raised in Lancaster, PA. He spent his childhood in and around forests, farms and fields while hunting, fishing and exploring. A love of forests led him to attend the New York State Ranger School, located in the wilds of up-state N.Y. He then pursued a career in forestry where he marked timber, built trails, fought forest fires and learned other forestry-related skills. Although he graduated more than 40 years ago, he went back to offer his time to paint an expansive mural for the school's 100-year anniversary.

     As a youngster, Barry exhibited a talent for drawings, producing many pencil and pen & ink sketches, always with a preference for wildlife. Barry worked primarily with oils with an impressionistic style, emphasizing color and light. In his early teens, Barry began drawing with pen and ink and the typical subject matter - wildlife and forests.

     The project that brought him to Georgia kept him here and was the background mural for an exhibit at the visitor's center at Georgia's highest mountain peak at Brasstown Bald depicting historic, natural scenes of Georgia. Barry's work caught the eye of Harry Rossoll, the creator of Smokey the Bear, who then brought Barry into the U.S. Forest Service in Atlanta as his assistant. After Rossoll retired, Barry accepted role of Regional Illustrator. When Barry retired from the U.S. Forest Service in 1989, he continued doing background murals for several exhibit design and fabrication companies.

     In an unfortunate event, he lost many original paintings in a building fire March 2015 in Savannah. Surviving paintings can be found in galleries on Tybee Island and in Jasper, Ga. His murals can be seen at state and national parks throughout the U.S., and in Georgia at the Brasstown Bald visitor's center, Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge, the Savannah River National Wildlife Refuge, and the Georgia Forestry Commission's mobile environmental classroom, among other locations. He also has written two books for young readers, Deep Forest Mystery, and The Forested Planet, both of which feature exceptional forest paintings.


Copyright © Catch the Spirit of Appalachia, Inc non-profit 2016-2099

     Mural News


     AMT @ Cradle of Forestry, NC

Visitor
Comments


    comment by: Gloria
Love, love, love ❤ all the art we saw and experienced while in Asheville!!Laura

    comment by: Lois
Brilliant way to allow visitors to enjoy the sites and sounds that Asheville has to offer.

    comment by: Rebecca&Susan
We just loved all of the murals in Asheville! Asheville is a fun vibrant interesting town!

    comment by: Catherine Wilson
    (Asheville, NC)

As a member of Carolina Street Mural group, I learned about The Appalachian Mural Trail! After reviewing your web page. I planned my road trips to locate the trail murals, reflect on them and photograph memories of my trip!

    comment by: Tammy Compton
    (Fort Myers, Florida)

Love it! We went looking to take selfies with 3 and found over 20 murals!

    comment by: Angie Trapp
    (Concord, NC)

Beautiful mural in Sparta, one of my favorite places! 😊❤️

    comment by: Debra
    (Falls Church City, VA)

Doreyl,
Thanks for letting me know! What a great project!
It added cool stops to my visit and I love seeing art and the artist was around that day to meet.


    comment by: Cristy (Mountain City, TN)
We have been getting much more traffic around our murals, and a lot of it is due to the publicity from your organization!
Thank you!
We will unveil our newest (and largest) mural on September 4th.


    comment by: Cindy Hedrick Day
It's beautiful! Thank you!!!!
Awesome! You made my day! Love love love it!.
I saw the email re the Mural Trail special in process of being made. Can't wait to see it. We are working to finish our projects, exhibit changes, etc. Who knew it would take so long! But, it's soon finished!!!
Looking forward to seeing this!
Thank you again!!!


    comment by: Marcie Toomey
This is our second visit to Holy Trinity.. we always leave blessed and humbled ❤️

    comment by: Chelsea
Thank you so much for the quick response! I received my shirt and thoroughly enjoyed the trail! Thank you for all of the hard work put into this project!

    comment by: Debbie Dillion
Just came across your website and it is great! I plan to look for these murals in my travels. A phone app would be awesome.

    comment by: Carol
Lincolnton, NC, is loaded with murals! And I love them all!

    comment by: Barry & Cindy Beaulieu
we got to see the Fresco in W. Jefferson NC and is amazing ... we were on our two wheeler the Voyager... nature declares there is a God... everywhere you look... thanking ya'll so very very much...

    comment by: Vickie Sealock
    (Welcome Center Manager)

I love what you folks are doing. Several years ago we went to Exeter California to see their Mural trail. We spent hours in this little town looking at the murals and trying to find the hidden objects in each. We talked with the towns people, had lunch, shopped in the shops. I love the mural trails, and yours is going to be one of the best. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

    comment by: Liz
Art is everywhere in Asheville! This gorgeous mural of Dolly Parton by Gus Cutty is the newest mural you'll see in town. Gus created the mural with spray paint in 3 days. See it for yourself at Beauty Parade on Haywood Rd in West Asheville.

    comment by: Karen
Roanoke murals are awesome to see... love the mural with girl floating in air... the poetry one was neat!

    comment by: Big Tom
This is great mural art, will be remembered a long time...

    comment by: Bob
This is very expansive mural, covers many walls inside the cradle building. Beautiful art mural, a must see!

    comment by: Dolly
Love the big murals!!!

    comment by: Lisa Patten
I love the mural trail. It's like seeing a gift at Christmas!

    comment by: Ann Barbare
Beautiful mural of Maggie Valley

    comment by: Jennifer
Love your mural artwork! The local references, the depiction of marvelous, beautiful, and colorful nature - landscapes, birds, animals, butterflies, and glorious flowers - invites close study and is very engaging!

    comment by: Carol
Looks like progress being made! Can't wait to see the mural at Joeys.

    comment by: anonymous
Can't wait to see this beautiful mural art in person at Joey's Pancake House

    comment by: Amy
I love your little sneak-a-peek view. Need more...

Share your Comments
and help promote the mural trail!




     AMT @ Cradle of Forestry, NC


Mural Maps

Quickly Find nearest Mural
(on U.S. Map)


Discover Murals with Art Maps



Find the nearest mural from
your location(NC or VA cities only)
where you are right now or
where you might be in the future.
Type City only

     AMT @ Cradle of Forestry, NC




This is a simple popup.